Tuned Global’s MD, Con Raso, whose company has inked an expanded licensing deal with Universal Music. Photo Credit: Tuned Global

Tuned Global and Universal Music Group (UMG) have officially finalized an expanded global licensing pact covering the major label’s recorded catalog.

Melbourne-headquartered Tuned Global reached out with word of the bolstered tie-up, which builds on an existing deal between it and the leading label. According to the self-described B2B music streaming services provider, the latest agreement will afford third-party apps and platforms “an integrated route to market” when it comes to licensing UMG tracks.

Of course, those tracks include releases from commercially prominent acts like Sabrina Carpenter, The Killers, and many others. But according to 13-year-old Tuned Global, clients in search of (fully cleared) UMG works will also have the option of licensing by genre, with afrobeats, pop, and jazz mentioned in particular.

And in statements, execs from UMG and Tuned Global (which says it can launch customized standalone apps in about eight weeks once licensing details are ironed out) touted the union as a means of bringing the former’s catalog to new clients and listeners.

On that front, Tuned Global co-founder and managing director Con Raso indicated: “This partnership is designed to provide a consolidated route to market for promising music projects and companies who reach out to Tuned Global, wanting to access UMG’s recorded music catalogue, but unsure who to reach out to.

“Using this agreement, they can get their project off the ground through one point of contact, Tuned Global. We believe this will turn more exciting ideas in music into realities,” concluded the longtime exec, whose company last year acquired Swedish music technology developer Pacemaker.

Meanwhile, in comments of his own, UMG SVP of digital strategy and business development James Healy relayed in part: “In expanding our partnership with Tuned Global, we are pleased to now integrate the licensing of UMG’s catalogue of recorded music into Tuned Global’s suite of technological solutions.

“This new way of working will help to enable ideas to be enhanced by UMG repertoire all over the world,” proceeded the Universal Music exec of almost two decades.

In other licensing news, streaming and discovery platform Audius recently unveiled a global agreement with Kobalt, the songwriter roster of which will have the chance to leverage a “powerful music marketplace” into additional revenue, per the involved companies.

Back in June, Audius disclosed separate licensing pacts with each of the major stateside performance rights organizations.

An aerial shot of Paris, France, where Bridge.audio is headquartered. Photo Credit: Chris Hardy

Cloud-based music workspace Bridge.audio has announced a nearly $3.3 million raise and set its sights on optimizing sync discoverability with AI.

The Paris-headquartered startup’s founder and CEO, Clément Souchier, only recently disclosed the €3 million (currently $3.27 million) funding round via a LinkedIn post. As described by this message, the two-year-old business pulled down the capital from backers including Bpifrance, Liège-based investment fund LeanSquare, and “business angels.”

Now boasting more than 30,000 users, according to Souchier, Bridge.audio has developed a main offering encompassing music-centered “private workspaces to manage, share, and connect.” Beyond these “smart workspaces” as well as their activity-tracking and metadata-management features, the collaboration-focused service, operating in both English and French, has also created an AI-powered tagging and description technology, its website shows.

Running with the idea, last January saw Bridge.audio roll out an aptly named “Sync Hub” marketplace designed to connect audiovisual professionals with licensable music for their projects. Bearing in mind the AI-tagging emphasis, said marketplace supports “natural language searches,” per the longtime entrepreneur Souchier.

On the pricing front, Bridge.audio’s core collaboration service has a free tier and a paid option; the latter’s cost begins at $5 per month when billed annually and scales upward depending on the precise amount of sought storage.

Shifting to the bigger funding picture, industry and industry-adjacent raises, as compiled by DMN Pro’s comprehensive Music Industry Funding Tracker, have been comparatively few and far between in 2024.

That refers specifically to three industry raises for June of 2024 – down from 10 during the same month in 2023. May of 2024, for its part, likewise registered three publicly confirmed funding rounds, a material decrease from May of 2023’s 13 rounds.

Notwithstanding the apparent funding-quantity falloff, however, 2024 has delivered several particularly high-value raises, including but not limited to a $165 million strategic round for Create Music Group, a cool $1 billion for Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group, and $100 million for Gamma.

Now, on the momentum of two relatively modest raises (Bridge.audio’s $3.3 million and the $5 million that Created by Humans secured in late June), time will tell whether the final five or so months of 2024 usher in other smaller-scale showings of support.

As things stand, July of 2024 appears exceedingly unlikely to surpass or even approach the funding volume of the same month in 2023, which had already recorded 11 industry and sub-sector raises at this point. By comparison, Bridge.audio seems to be the first industry company to unveil fresh funding in the current month.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Taylor Swift’s re-recorded version of ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ has been revealed as the opening track for the streaming series, Wilderness.

This re-recorded track from her Reputation album made its global debut in the series trailer released today. The series will launch globally on Prime Video on September 15. “The defiant ‘Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor’s Version)’ reflects Liv’s transformation after her supposed ‘happily-ever-after’ quickly turns into a living nightmare on discovering her husband Will is having an affair,” reads the teaser synopsis for the new series.

Liv becomes the actress starring in Will’s bad dreams after she learns about his betrayal, with heartbreak quickly turning to fury. The couple embark on a road trip in a vain attempt to mend things between them, visiting the Grand Canyon and Yosemite before ending up in Las Vegas. “For Will, it’s a chance to make amends; for Liv, it’s a very different prospect—a landscape where accidents happen all the time. The perfect place to get revenge. Look what he made her do..” the synopsis continues.

The Taylor Swift song as a title track is the latest addition to the psychological thriller driven by a female team. Wilderness was created by Marnie Dickens and is based on a B.E. Jones novel. The series is directed by So Yong Kim and executive produced by Elizabeth Kilgarriff. Check out the streaming trailer preview for Wilderness below.

The series stars Jenna Coleman and Oliver Jackson-Cohen, as well as Eric Balfour and Ashley Benson. Additional cast includes Claire Rushbrook, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Morgana Van Peebles and Jonathan Keltz. Swift’s music has featured in other Amazon Prime streaming series, too. Her other songs including “Sweet Nothing,” “Exile,” and “Last Kiss (Taylor’s Version)” also featured in the streaming series, The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2.

Photo Credit: Netflix

When the Netflix series ‘Beef’ first aired on April 6th, 2023 in the US, the dark comedy featured over 20 catalog tracks from the 90s and early 2000s. By May, ‘Beef’ dominated the Billboard Top TV Songs chart, powered by Tunefind, with three out of the top-four entries and six out of the top-ten placements.

‘Beef’ was clearly a catapult for music. So we set out to discover just how big of an impact the show had on music discovery for catalog gems.

In partnership with sync heavyweight Songtradr, we analyzed data to identify the catalog songs that experienced the highest spikes in Spotify streams, YouTube views, and Shazam counts. Among the standout tracks were “Lonely Day” by System of a Down (released in 1999), “Drive” by Incubus (1999), “Mayonaise” and “Today” by The Smashing Pumpkins (both released in 1993), and “Self Esteem” by The Offspring (1994).

According to Chartmetric data and Billboard chart positions powered by Songtradr-owned Tunefind, the show’s sync placements have profoundly impacted younger audiences. These new audiences actively sought out older tracks, resulting in notable increases in Shazam activity and, in some cases, triggering millions of new streams and views on platforms like Spotify and YouTube. Additionally, a few of these songs even found their way onto TikTok as younger fans breathed new life into these classics.

One of the bigger wins was “Lonely Day” by System of a Down, first released in 1999. The track ranked No.8 on Billboard’s Top TV Songs chart after being featured on ‘Beef’s’ Episode 5 (‘Such Inward Secret Creatures’).

‘Beef’ first aired on April 6th, and by April 8th, the show’s audience had triggered a significant spike in Shazam counts for the band. The track scored over 5,200 Shazam counts in a single day as viewers tried to identify the 1999 track. This increase continued for a month after release, well into May. It has now settled back towards normalcy within the 900-1,000 range.

Numbers spiked to over 5,200 Shazam counts in a day as ‘Beef’ audiences sought out the catalog track.

Higher Shazam counts should theoretically spill over to streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube. In this case, they did. The YouTube video for “Lonely Day” revealed significant viewer activity immediately following its inclusion in ‘Beef.’

Between April 6th and April 9th, YouTube views rose by half a million, continuing to spike steadily since then. In total, the track gained over 6.7 million new YouTube views between April 6th and June 3rd.

6.7 million additional YouTube views for “Lonely Day” between April 6th and June 3rd.

Looking at Spotify numbers, a massive spillover of listeners clearly made it to the streaming platform. This increase in Spotify streams paints a promising picture for every catalog track that scores a TV sync. But “Lonely Day” was already averaging 400,000 streams per day before the sync in ‘Beef,’ so it wasn’t exactly undiscovered.

But one month after ‘Beef’ aired, critical acclaim for the show spread like wildfire. And as more widespread discussions took place on social media platforms and news portals — streams for “Lonely Day” quickly spiked.

The track recorded over a million new streams on May 14th alone (about 5 weeks after the show aired). In total, 23 million new streams occurred between April 6th and June 3rd.

One month after release, following critical acclaim for the show ‘Beef,’ “Lonely Day” recorded a million new streams on May 14th alone.

Another track that emerged victorious after its sync in ‘Beef’ was the rock/pop song “Drive” by Incubus — claiming the No.2 spot on the Billboard Top TV Songs chart. The song was originally released in 1999 and is now featured within the ending credits of Episode 3 (‘I Am Inhibited By a Cry’).

On April 6th — the day ‘Beef’ aired — Shazam counts for the track surged instantly, peaking on April 11th with a whopping 10,000 Shazam counts in one day. The high number of Shazam searches continued until April 30th before starting to taper off. Out of the total 3.2 million Shazam counts for “Drive,” 200,000 were hits between April 6th and June 3rd.

On April 11, 5 days after ‘Beef’ aired, the track scored a whopping 10,000 Shazam counts in one day.

While exploring YouTube views for the “Drive” official music video, it’s clear that the track averaged 30,000 new views per day before the featured sync on ‘Beef.’

The show triggered a spike in views just days after release, reaching 50,000 per day. The rise continued, steadily sustaining an average of 50,000-55,000 views every day. 3 million total views (almost 10% of total views) on the video occurred after the feature.

3 million total views (almost 10% of total views) on the video occurred after the feature.

Spotify numbers reveal a thriving resurgence for the 24-year-old track.

Streaming numbers rose rapidly as more people raved about ‘Beef’ and spurred new viewers onto the Netflix show. By the end of April, the track averaged over 350,000 new streams daily. 16.6 million new streams, an impressive 3.7% of all-time streams, can be loosely credited to the ‘Beef’ sync.

By the end of April, the track averaged over 350,000 new streams daily.

Between April 12th and April 22nd, TikTok, with 71.3% of all adult users aged 18-34, stepped into the discovery realm. A noticeable spike in TikTok activity may prove that the song reached Gen Z for the first time.

Noticeable spike in TikTok activity perhaps means that the song reached Gen Z for the first time.

Next, we looked at “Mayonaise” by The Smashing Pumpkins. The track was originally released three decades ago in January 1993, taking its spot in the season finale Episode 10 (‘Figures of Light’).

Chartmetric doesn’t present Shazam or TikTok stats for this track, but the platform recorded an increase of 150,000 Spotify streams on April 15th. “Mayonaise” is steadily maintaining this number to date. 4 million of the 55 million all-time streams (almost 7.7%) occurred after its ‘Beef’ feature.

Almost 7.7% of all streams occurred after the April 6th release of ‘Beef’ featuring the decades-old track.

Just three days after the show aired, YouTube views began to rise. Since “Mayonaise” featured in the last episode, it makes sense that views would peak on April 17th, ten days after the show originally aired.

YouTube views spiked around April 9th, as the song featured in the last episode of the show ‘Beef.’

Another catalog track that emerged victorious from ‘Beef’ is “Today” by The Smashing Pumpkins. The track had originally released in 1993, but listener data shows it was a popular choice for audiences long before its ‘Beef’ feature — not to say that ‘Beef’ didn’t increase its already impressive listener count.

“Today” claimed the No.9 spot on the Billboard Top TV Songs chart. According to Tunefind, ‘Beef’ is the 6th confirmed sync placement in a TV show for the track, but its last two syncs occurred a while back — in 2014. After being featured in the teaser and Episode 1 of ‘Beef,’ the song enjoyed renewed activity and obvious spikes on Spotify and YouTube.

Chartmetric recorded over 3.1 million new streams since the April 6th release of ‘Beef,’ representing an impressive 5.7% of all-time streams. Numbers increased pretty steadily for the most part, and on May 13th, streams hiked to almost 130,000 in a single day.

5 weeks after the show aired, streams spiked to almost 130,000 in one day

The number of views for the “Today” YouTube video also rose impressively, peaking on April 9th, a mere three days after the show aired. Over 1.1 million views, 2.1% of all-time views on the video, occurred after April 6th.

Over 1.1 million views since April 6th, representing 2.1% of all-time views on “Today” YouTube video.

The Offspring’s “Self Esteem” featured in Episode 4 (‘Just Not All At The Same Time’), and served as the closing credits song in ‘Beef.’ The track ranked No.4 on the Top TV Songs chart.

This 1994 release had already experienced significant exposure before the show, with previous sync placements in movies like “White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch” in 2022 and “Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage” in 2021.

Before its inclusion in ‘Beef,’ “Self Esteem” consistently garnered around a quarter of a million daily streams on Spotify. The track’s frequent sync placements and appearances in movies likely contributed to its popularity among listeners on the platform, many of whom are probably around the same age as the song itself.

Following the airing of ‘Beef,’ there was a notable spike in streams. Since April 6th, the track has accumulated an impressive 15.6 million streams. That number accounts for approximately 3.5% of its all-time Spotify streams.

Popular among Spotify listeners that are probably around the same age as the song itself.

On YouTube, the original music video for “Self Esteem” has surpassed 85 million views, with 3.6% of them occurring after the show aired on Netflix. The track quickly gained acclaim and continued to attract attention from viewers.

“Self Esteem” has surpassed 85 million views, with 3.6% of them occurring after the show aired on Netflix.

The phenomenon of sync reigniting interest in older music is not new.

‘Beef’ joins a growing list of television series that have brought catalog gems back into the spotlight, introducing them to younger and newer audiences. This could simply be proof that sync is powerful, and attaches desirability and fandom to any track featured on an audience’s favorite TV show.

Or, maybe this phenomenon simply sheds light on the enduring appeal of catalog classics and their ability to resonate with listeners across different eras. Despite the fact that most industry attention on catalogs focuses on expensive IP acquisitions, there’s something important to consider here: Maybe a great song is a great song regardless of when it was released, and listeners will flock to it in droves — if only they get to discover it.

While music typically represents a small percentage of advertising budgets, Songtradr says it has the data to prove that smartly prioritizing music triggers big wins. Now, the company is trotting out research on how AI-driven music selection can help businesses gain higher brand recognition and customer loyalty, ultimately boosting revenue.

Neuroscientific research has proven that individuals react faster to auditory stimuli compared to visual ones. So far, however, those findings have largely remained academic on Madison Avenue. But could the curation of a unique sonic identity be the winning tool brands need to attain strategic business goals? And just how effective are music elements in influencing message processing?

Songtradr, a top sync-licensing company, has recently focused its research efforts on how AI-driven strategic music selection can amplify marketing efforts and deliver brands’ messages more powerfully. Throughout, Songtradr’s research has focused on how brands can forge deeper emotional connections with their target audiences. Just recently, the company partnered with DMN to disclose the findings across multiple reports.

To examine the connection between music and long-term business performance, Songtradr has been gathering music data for brands in the US beer and UK beauty industries. Songtradr audited individual pieces of paid and owned media used by these brands, extracting unique music tracks and feeding them into the company’s AI music tagging platform.

Songtradr’s ‘SmartMusic’ score for US beer brands, graded from ‘smartest music’ to ‘least smart music’ used in paid or owned media advertising.

Songtradr says its proprietary SmartMusic process merges human creativity with real-time data, AI and machine learning, and neuroscience — pinpointing the most relevant and effective piece of music to improve any brand’s marketing performance.

According to Songtradr, AI-tagging technology allowed the company to analyze brands’ music choices, profiling elements such as mood, genre, personality, target audience, music quality, and source of music. By harvesting this data, Songtradr could estimate variables such as category differentiation, consistency, and audience brand fit.

Analysis was conducted by splitting data into two independent streams, ‘MusicIQ’ and ‘Brand Performance.’

Songtradr explains MusicIQ as a sonic profile for each brand — an AI-powered composite metric quantifying how strategically a brand uses music on television, radio, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and other ‘sounds-on’ media. It contained six components of music used in advertising content, which are consistency (musical coherence across brands’ paid and owned media), distinctiveness (relative uniqueness to other brands’ musical content), ubiquity (percentage of brands’ paid and owned media containing music), source of music (licensed, stock, or bespoke), engagement (volume of attention and response), and sonic branding (formation and presence of audio identity in media).

Brand Performance assesses how effectively a brand’s branding and marketing communications drove consumer behavior, such as sales, repeat purchase rate, and social evangelism. The score was calculated by conducting neuroscience experiments that collected rational (explicit) and emotional (implicit) data. This metric quantified the impact of emotions triggered by music on consumer decision-making and long-term memory encoding.

Comparing these two independent scores answered the big question: Did a brand’s strategic use of music influence its market performance?

Songtradr’s “Music of Beer” study assesses how specific beer brands’ use of music in advertising influenced their business performance. They discovered that consistent and strategic use of music in beer branding and advertising accounted for over 33% of overall business performance.

‘Music of Beer’ — Strategic use of music in beer advertising accounted for over 33% of overall performance.

The most successful brands used not only brand-aligned and distinctive melodies but also energetic and arousing music. Key findings of the study also revealed that brands could improve performance by taking a more strategic, consistent, and differentiated approach to music usage in advertising content. Moreover, choosing the wrong music (in terms of clashing sonic branding) could also damage brand preference.

By studying some of the most influential brands in the beauty industry from the lens of the UK consumer, Songtradr also measured the effect of music choices on a beauty brand’s overall market performance.

MusicIQ score for beauty brands in the UK — graded from smartest music to least smart music — used in paid or owned media advertising.

The beauty industry relies more heavily on user-generated content, alongside influencer and celebrity marketing than any other industry. According to YouTube statistics, 86% of the top 200 beauty videos on YouTube are uploaded by individual content creators rather than brands, and 62% of women follow beauty influencers on social media. Accordingly, it’s no surprise that beauty brands represent 25% of all influencer marketing activity.

This uniqueness of advertising methods revealed a significant challenge for beauty brands: how can a cohesive, distinct brand identity be established and maintained when such a wide range of third parties represent your brand? According to Songtradr, ‘Strategic use of music is the answer.’

According to Songtradr, beauty brands’ MusicIQ and Brand Performance displayed a strong positive correlation (reinforcing the results of ‘Music of Beer’). In essence, music performance drives revenue, and consistently strategic use of music in branding and advertising accounts for 15% of beauty brands’ overall business performance.

‘Music of Beauty’ — Within the beauty industry, strategic use of music in advertising accounts for 15% of brands’ overall business performance.

The study also made other insightful revelations. Researchers found that a hyper-focus on visual branding caused brands to blend in rather than stand out. They also discovered that none of the brands analyzed in the study leverage the true power of sonic branding.

If key findings from the two beer and beauty studies can be considered generalizable for other niches and industries, Songtradr says development and publication of curated music libraries could be the answer.

Soundtradr notes that this move will optimize production budgets, minimize brands’ exposure to copyright strikes, and provide insurance against takedowns and compliance issues. A curated library of licensed commercial tracks will also ensure advertising messages are musically aligned across all various media channels — custom-fit for the target audience.

Research in consumer behavior also suggests that musical structure in marketing efforts could maximize breakthroughs, deepen emotional connection, and promote brand preference.

Songtradr emphasizes that without developing a cohesive sonic profile in advertising efforts, brands could face implicit brand confusion, fail to grab attention, and miss out on consumer engagement. To reinforce a brand’s identity and index it into listeners’ memory, the right music is key.

Songtradr’s sync-matching technology offers this AI-driven music analysis to individual brands. The company believes that by creating a unique and memorable sonic identity, brands can win increased marketing performance, resulting in higher brand recognition, customer loyalty, and revenue.

Photo Credit: Digital Music News

After two years of online-only events, the Guild of Music Supervisors hosted a packed 13th annual GMS Awards ceremony this week at The Wiltern in Los Angeles.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  

The annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards celebrates outstanding achievement in the craft of music supervision across film, television, documentaries, advertising, and trailers. Taking place annually in Los Angeles, this industry-niche ‘Grammys for Sync’ traverses the gamut of music placements across all platforms and budget tiers – including everything from the Elvis soundtrack to a videogame trailer.

The 11th and 12th editions were moved online by pandemic protocols. For the lucky 13th, the masks were off at a packed in-person shindig that was anything but virtual. Throughout the event, the feeling of celebratory relief was palpable.

Of course, the just-concluded Grammys takes place on a more lavish and grandiose stage. But the congenial community at GMS is tough to beat. At the distinctively 20s-era Wiltern, the cozy collection of music supervisors and audio-placement execs finally said hello again, and celebrated a mask-free evening of reconnection.

Aside from the awards-show formalities, this was also a reunion of old friends, with many creatives tied by previous collaborations and projects. Indeed, music supervisors are usually hopping from one project to the next – and familiar faces frequently resurface in ad-hoc teams.

Photo: Digital Music News

GMS Awards nominee hangout (Photo: Digital Music News)

At the awards ceremony itself, audience members were treated to a surprise performance from Macy Gray, along with sets from Gaby Moreno, Ruth B, and Joy Olakdukon.

There was also an additional tribute to Paul Williams by Sam DeRosa, Nella Rojas, and Joshua Radin. Perhaps that lineup lacked the sizzle of recent Grammy performers like Harry Styles, Stevie Wonder, and Luke Combs, though savvy musicians know that music supervisors are a powerful group of industry influencers.

Photo Credit: Harmony Gerber

Photo: Fitz Carlile

“It is with immense pride that we congratulate the winners of our 13th Annual Awards,” relayed Joel C. High, President of the Guild of Music Supervisors. “The craft of telling stories with music is recognized more and more as a global force in the entertainment business and in culture. These awards last night highlight the top of the field but the truth is that we at the guild honor the fine work of all of our members in the various crafts year round.”

Presenters from the evening included Sharon Stone, Debbie Allen, Stephanie Economou, Tom Everett Scott, Pamela Adlon, Lindsey Blaufarb, Odeya Rush, Christopher McDonald, Aloe Blacc, Justin Hurwitz, Joel C. High, Steve Schnur, Jen Malone, Nora Felder, Sami Posner, Sanaz Lavaedian, Amine Ramer, Ed Gerrard, Steve Gizicki, and Howard Parr.

Complete List of 13th Annual Guild of Music Supervisors (GMS) Awards

FILM

Best Music Supervision for Film 

• • Budgeted Over $25M | Anton Monsted — Elvis
  • Budgeted Under $25M | Lauren Marie Mikus, Bruce Gilbert — Everything Everywhere All At Once
  • Budgeted Under $10M | Rob Lowry — Cha Cha Real Smooth
  • For A Non-Theatrically Released Film | Rob Lowry — Do Revenge
  • Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film | “This Is A Life” from Everything Everywhere All At Once (Songwriters: Ryan Lott, David Byrne, Mitski Miyawaki | Performers: David Byrne, Mitski, Son Lux | Music Supervisors: Lauren Marie Mikus, Bruce Gilbert)

TELEVISION

Best Music Supervision for Television

• • Television Drama | Nora Felder — Stranger Things Season 4
  • Television Comedy or Musical | Kier Lehman — Insecure Season 5
  • Reality Television | Adam Brodsky, Rivka Rose — The Come Up Season 1
  • Best Song Written and/or Recorded for Television | “Perfect Day” for Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 9 “Fun and Games” (Songwriter: Harry Nilsson | Performers: Dressage, Slow Shiver | Music Supervisor: Thomas Golubić

DOCUMENTARIES

• • Best Music Supervision | Allison Wood — Tony Hawk: Until The Wheels Fall Off
  • Best Music Supervision for DocuSeries | Amanda Krieg Thomas — The Andy Warhol Diaries

TRAILERS

• • Best Music Supervision for Film Trailer | Evelin Garcia — Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
  • Best Music Supervision for Series | Deric Berberabe, Jordan Silverberg — The White Lotus Season 2
  • Best Music Supervision for Video Game & Interactive Trailer | Lindsey Kohon, Naaman Snell — Destiny 2: The Witch Queen

ADVERTISING

• • Best Music Supervision in Synch | Abbey Hendrix, Jonathan Wellbelove — Apple The Greatest
  • Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Original Music) | Sunny Kapoor, Mike Ladman, Brad Nayman, Brandy Ricker — Meta

VIDEO GAMES

• • Best Music Supervision in a Video Game (Synch) | Dylan Bostick, Josh Kessler — Saint’s Row V
  • Best Music Supervision in a Video Game (Original) | Steve Schnur — Battlefield 2042 DLC Season 1 – Zero Hour, Season 2, Master of Arms, Season 3 – Escalation (Composers: Hildur Guðnadóttir, Sam Slater)

Tunefind has published its year-end round-up for top sync placements in 2022 — and older tracks are still making a serious dent. With decades-old tracks snatching up significant sync opportunities and stealing the spotlight, catalog is now an undeniably major part of the sync landscape.

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

The current landscape is seeing more catalog tracks charting on Spotify than ever before. A study conducted by Spotify reports that in 2022, almost a third of charting songs were catalog. The groundswell is largely being powered by juicy sync placements on major TV shows and films.

So is sync the new radio? It’s becoming increasingly apparent that artist catalogs are a treasure trove of monetizable assets, finding incredible new value in this music climate. These long-forgotten tracks are being touted as underexploited gems as producers propel them back into the spotlight with sync placements in television shows and movies.

The most remarkable aspect of sync placements is making itself known: the promotional impact achieved by sync does more than just put that particular track in the spotlight. Older tracks are attaining their prime — decades after they were first produced — and their popularity boosts streams and views for artists’ catalogs. A Spotify study revealed that one viral track or placement boosts streams for the artist’s entire catalog by 70%.

Music supervisors and labels use Songtradr’s music-tracking platform, Tunefind, to research sync placements in movies and TV series.

Tunefind tracks sync placements across the visual media landscape, regardless of a song’s release date. But the older stuff seems to be getting the most attention these days. When Netflix’s Stranger Things catapulted ‘Running up the Hill’ into the spotlight, Kate Bush saw a resurgence of streams on all platforms and generated millions with her 37-year-old track. However, that’s not the only catalog track that attained incredible new heights with sync.

For example, Tunefind’s list of top sync placements for 2022 includes ‘Dead of Night’ by Orville Peck, released in 2019, which was featured in Euphoria episode Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door.

These are merely the tip of the catalog iceberg. Tunefind’s list also includes several older tracks that gained massive listener resurgence after scoring significant placements.

Still from the video for Killer Mike’s ‘Untitled.’

Song: ‘Untitled’ (2012)

Artist: Killer Mike

Placement. Ozark S4E3 City on The Make

Killer Mike has been releasing singles since 2002, with his song ‘Untitled’ released in the 2012 album R.A.P. Music. Right after Ozark’s episode City on The Make aired on January 21, 2022, Killer Mike’s decade-old track ‘Untitled’ exploded on all major streaming platforms. Spotify streams spiked on January 29, gaining thousands of new streams every day, Chartmetric data shows.

Killer Mike’s ‘Untitled’ experienced a listenership spike on Spotify following a January placement in Netflix’s Ozark S4E3, City on The Make, which lasted several months. Photo Credit: Chartmetric

January 29 featured over 13,000 streams, and popularity stayed consistently high throughout the first half of the year. Scoring an average of 6,000 streams per day until May, numbers slowly leveled out months later. Of course, the figure marks an incredible gain from before its placement in Ozark. ‘Untitled’ had recorded a total of 1.7 million streams before the sync, and that number has now bumped to almost 2.8 million — almost 1.1 million additional streams since January.

Killer Mike also enjoyed a surge in YouTube viewers for its track ‘Untitled,’ gaining an additional 150,000 views following the Ozark placement.

Still from the video for O’Conner’s ‘Drink Before the War’

Song: ‘Drink Before the War’ (1987)

Artist: Sinead O’Connor

Placement: Euphoria S2E4 You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can

Originally released in 1987 as part of the album The Lion and The Cobra, ‘Drink Before the War,’ is written and co-produced by O’Connor. 35-years after it was first released, the track received a spectacular revival, gaining immense popularity after a major sync propelled it into the spotlight.

Featured in the second season of popular teen drama, Euphoria, which was released on HBO and HBO Max, the track rose from its silent catalog existence to reach incredible numbers of younger listeners.

Spotify streams for ‘Drink Before the War’ were consistently high during the 4 months following its placement in Euphoria Season 2. Photo Credit: Chartmetric.

After the Euphoria episode You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can featured in 2022, Spotify streams rose in July and continued a steady incline in per day streams.

Since its placement, O’Conner’s track has gained an additional 3.5+ million Spotify streams, a 28.33% total increase, Chartmetric data shows.

Moreover, YouTube views for ‘Drink Before The War’ currently stand at a total of 2.1 million, which represents a whopping 50% increase during 2022. This sync placement has gained O’Conner’s track an additional 700,000 new views.

The YouTube video gained almost 700,000 new views on YouTube since its sync placement on the hit Netflix show.

‘Drink Before The War’ also attained 1 million Shazam counts since it was featured on Euphoria.

Still from the video for ‘Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)’ Bryce Muller/Alloy Tracks Remix 2022

Song: ‘Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)’ (1983)

Artist: Journey, Steve Perry

Placement. Stranger Things S4E8 Papa

‘Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)’ was recorded in 1983 by Journey and Steven Perry for their album Frontiers. It was the first single for which the band shot an actual choreographed video — all previous videos released before that had been recorded performances.

For Stranger Things episode Papa, Bryce Miller and Alloy Tracks remixed the original song, and reportedly, Steven Perry liked it so much that he suggested an extended version that was released in 2022.

After being featured on Stranger Things, the track ‘Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)’ hit incredible highs on Spotify. It gained an impressive number of streams up until July — two months after its May placement. By August, the numbers eventually settled down to an average of 200,000 streams a day — a phenomenal achievement for a 39-year-old track. During December, the track still sees roughly 65,000 streams per day, Chartmetric data shows.

Catalog tracks have seen massive resurgence in popularity through sync. Since its May 27 feature on Stranger Things, ‘Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)’ gained 42 million new Spotify streams. Photo Credit: Chartmetric

On TikTok, the track appeared right after its appearance on Netflix. The song has now been featured in over 700,000 videos, triggering a spillover of listeners onto all other streaming platforms.

‘Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)’ also got its fair share of videos on TikTok, scoring 70,000 posts since its sync placement.

Sync placements are luring new listener demographics to older artist tables.

Practically speaking, catalog tracks are only ‘old’ for older audiences, but virtually brand new to audiences watching TV shows and movies today. That’s exactly why these viewers are spiking Spotify stream numbers so aggressively — they’ve discovered something ‘new.’ Listening to these catalog tracks in the backdrop of their favorite shows triggers a unique attachment experience, and that’s clearly working out big time for artists that score these notable placements.

This listener experience has certainly redesigned the music landscape, and the change is here to stay. With artist discoveries multiplying thousands of times over after making notable sync appearances, it’s obvious that sync is the new radio. Now, everyone wants a piece of the pie.

Photo Credit: Dave Weatherall

For members of the music industry, sync licensing’s far-reaching potential benefits are hardly a secret. But besides affording artists considerable upfront compensation and meaningful exposure, placements are spurring renewed fan interest in more catalog tracks than ever. 

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

The most prominent 2022 example of sync licensing’s ability to help catalog songs find entirely new audiences arrived over the summer, when a placement in Stranger Things catapulted Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” back into the commercial spotlight. ‘Catalog’ is officially defined as songs that debuted at least 18 months ago, though “Running Up That Hill” debuted almost 40 years ago.

Originally released in 1985, the track recently climbed to the top of the charts (breaking multiple records in the process) and generated millions from streaming after appearing in the Netflix-exclusive program. Bush then issued a rare public statement acknowledging “the young fans who love the show” for giving her 37-year-old work “a whole new lease of life.”

However, “Running Up That Hill” isn’t the only catalog song that’s enjoyed a resurgence following a sync placement. Instead, this is part of a broader phenomenon impacting a range of once-forgotten gems.

Just recently, Digital Music News partnered with Songtradr’s Tunefind music-discovery platform to analyze the listenership data behind three tracks that have experienced significant (but less-publicized) boosts of their own thanks to sync licensing. Tunefind is widely used by music supervisors and powers the Billboard Top TV Songs chart.

These stats illustrate the newfound possibilities associated with sync. Arguably, sync is assuming the role of traditional radio given the massive promotional lift enjoyed by songs played on TV shows, viral TikTok videos, and Hollywood blockbusters. Back in the mid-80s, broadcast radio had the power to elevate tracks like “Running Up That Hill” with heavy spins. Now, with traditional radio crowded by seemingly-endless listening options, synchronization is creating some unexpected winners – with ‘spins’ taking the form of soundtracks on ultra-popular series and viral clips.

The comparison is apt in more ways than one – including the scarcity found in both formats. Broadcast radio once had the power to ‘make or break’ songs. But radio stations have always had a finite number of slots — there are only so many sought-after spins on major stations, and many stations like to repeat songs. On the sync side, there are only so many hit shows and epic movies that have slots for music. But when a catchy song gets slotted in the right way – regardless of when it was released – things can really explode.

And that’s exactly what is happening to a number of older tracks, regardless of when they were released. While “Running Up the Hill” grabbed the headlines, plenty of other songs have also enjoyed resurgences. Here are just a few examples.

Photo Credit: Holly Har (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Song: “I’m a Lady” (2008)

Artist: Santigold (featuring Trouble Andrew)

Placement: Along for the Ride 

Tunefind Ranking During H1 2022 (Film): 2

Though Santigold initially dropped “I’m a Lady” as part of her 2008 debut album, Santogold, the track benefited from a flood of new listeners when it complemented Netflix’s Along for the Ride in May of 2022.

Based upon the Sarah Dessen novel of the same name, Along for the Ride (which stars Kate Bosworth) drove fan engagement with the “I’m a Lady” placement on the film’s Tunefind landing page, where a multitude of viewers navigated to find the song’s name as well as the responsible artist.

The Tunefind Ranking (for all films) directly reflects the number of Tunefind users that utilized the platform to click or tap through the “I’m a Lady” placement during 2022’s initial six months.

And predictably, given this influx of interest on Tunefind, the 45-year-old singer-songwriter’s placed track achieved a material stream-count jump on Spotify and other platforms, Chartmetric data shows.

The listening growth is most noteworthy and apparent on Spotify, where the 16-year-old song had been garnering about 2,000 plays per day pre-placement. After Along for the Ride became available to Netflix subscribers on May 6th, though, daily Spotify streams for “I’m a Lady” shot up past 50,000 before gradually leveling out at roughly 15,000 in August.

Of course, the latter figure still marks a 750 percent improvement from before the placement came to fruition. Also, since the start of May, overall Spotify streams for “I’m a Lady” rose from nearly 6.3 million to crack 9 million.

Santigold’s “I’m a Lady” experienced a months-long listenership hike on Spotify following a May placement in Netflix’s Along for the Ride. Photo Credit: Chartmetric

To a lesser extent, “I’m a Lady” also enjoyed a bump on YouTube, with two official uploads’ daily views increasing from a combined total of approximately 150 to north of 7,500 before leveling out at roughly 1,500 in August.

Meanwhile, Apple’s Shazam was used more than 275,000 times to identify “I’m a Lady” during May, June, July, and August – underscoring that there’s always an untapped demographic through which songs can make waves commercially.

Still from the video for James’ “Here In Spirit”

Song: “Here In Spirit” (2016)

Artist: Jim James

Placement: Ozark

Tunefind Ranking During H1 2022 (TV): 2

Most widely known as the frontman of My Morning Jacket, 44-year-old Jim James has dropped a number of projects as a solo artist, including 2016’s Eternally Even. The album’s third track, “Here In Spirit,” racked up 12.4 million Spotify streams during the first five years after its debut, with 2021 having brought an average of approximately 7,500 new streams per day, according to Chartmetric.

This daily-stream figure dipped to around 5,000 in January of 2022 – before more than tripling on the Monday following the release of the fourth and final season of Netflix’s Ozark, and specifically the first half thereof. Among the tracks synced in the much-anticipated season are “Here In Spirit,” and the placement ranked second on Tunefind in engagement (for TV) across H1 2022.

Far from fizzling out in the subsequent weeks and months, the daily Spotify listenership of “Here In Spirit” peaked in February, gradually rounded out at about 15,000 in April and May, and then held steady at an average of 13,000 in June, July, and August – still north of three times the pre-placement streaming rate. That staying power is hardly uncommon, especially for prominent song placements on major series. Instead of a one-time boom, on-demand video allows viewing at any future point – which also opens the door for continued song discovery.

Overall, the total Spotify streams garnered by “Here In Spirit” throughout its first five or so years on the platform jumped by almost 30 percent during 2022’s eight months alone.

Following a placement in Netflix’s Ozark, 2022 was a big year for “Here In Spirit” on Spotify. Streams of the track gradually increased into September and beyond. Photo Credit: Chartmetric

Inclusion on Pandora track stations, or algorithmically generated lists of music based on the song, hiked from 718 at 2022’s beginning to 1,100 for “Here In Spirit” by August. The identical period saw the song’s Shazam total, which had been increasing modestly before the placement, grow by more than 280 percent to break 560,000.

Reckless Love performing “Monster” live in Finland, 2018

Song: “Monster” (2016)

Artist: Reckless Love

Placement: Peacemaker

Tunefind Ranking During H1 2022 (TV): 10

21-year-old Finnish rock band Reckless Love released “Monster” as part of 2016’s InVader, and the track made a relative splash among the veteran act’s hardcore supporters (and heavy-metal fans generally) during the first six years that it was available to the public.

Spurred by momentum stemming from an appearance in HBO Max’s Peacemaker (which debuted in January of 2022), however, “Monster” experienced a dramatic resurgence in streaming figures and other listenership metrics, ultimately ranking 10th in user engagement among television placements featured on Tunefind during H1 2022.

“Monster” started 2022 with a total of about 2.18 million Spotify streams and was adding roughly 1,500 streams per day. The latter number spiked well past 100,000 once Peacemaker began streaming and went on to drive overall streams above 6.75 million by August’s end – signifying a 209.63 percent boost.

Spotify streams for “Monster” more than tripled during the eight months following its placement in HBO Max’s Peacemaker. Photo Credit: Chartmetric

Furthermore, with a Shazam count of less than 10,000 (which was growing by one to two look-ups daily) before viewers dived into Peacemaker, “Monster” nearly doubled in the category overnight. By August’s conclusion, the number was still increasing by more than 100 daily and had topped 107,000.

There was also a dramatic surge on TikTok, where the track appeared just days after its HBO appearance. Now, the track has been featured in over 1,332 videos, with spillover effects likely on streaming platforms like Spotify.

For those enmeshed in the sync world, those breakouts are just scratching the surface.

While “Running Up That Hill” unicorns are a certainty in the future, the bigger story is arguably coming from the groundswell of songs experiencing a second surge thanks to prime sync placements. And while those tracks may be technically ‘old,’ they’re brand new to many newfound listeners, a phenomenon that is also shifting the game in a music industry accustomed to recently-released chart-toppers.

Photo Credit: Rubaitul Azad

Several well-known businesses – most recently Bang Energy Drink – have learned through litigation that TikTok’s major label blanket licenses don’t extend to companies. But contrary to the commonly held belief, the short-form video-sharing app has a robust licensing process in place for brands, and the use of music in adverts doesn’t have to bring about multimillion-dollar lawsuits. Here’s how brands can clear music and avoid licensing headaches on TikTok. 

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

In July, Universal Music Group (UMG) secured a partial victory in its much-publicized copyright infringement complaint against Bang Energy. Ahead of the case’s trial, a judge ruled that Bang had in fact infringed upon the leading label’s music in about 140 promotional videos. 

Regardless of how the courtroom confrontation plays out (it remains to be seen whether the energy-drink maker will also be held liable for TikTok videos uploaded by influencers), the less-than-ideal situation underscores the limits of TikTok’s blanket licenses. The agreements exclusively govern user-generated content – not promotional and/or paid clips for brands, which have ample incentive to develop a presence on the platform. 

“Now more than ever, TikTok is a very looked-at type of use,” Big Sync Music head of Americas Alex Menck told Digital Music News. “Certain publishers, they want to know who those influencers are before they approve a TikTok use. They want to know how many followers those influencers have.” 

Bang Energy, which has expressed the belief that it was covered by TikTok’s major label pacts, isn’t the first company that’s faced legal action concerning the use of allegedly unlicensed music on the short-form app. (The other Big Three labels are suing Bang over TikTok videos in similar actions.) 

Sony Music Entertainment (SME) last year levied a firmly worded suit against Solihull, England-headquartered fitness-apparel company Gymshark, concerning the entity’s allegedly unauthorized inclusion of protected music in videos on social media platforms including TikTok. 

SME and Gymshark (which was valued at over £1 billion in an August of 2020 funding round) settled towards 2022’s beginning. And while the terms of this settlement haven’t been publicly disclosed, the stakes are quite clear for brands that intend to use music on TikTok.

“There are all kinds of complexities when it comes to TikTok. Not only the fees that the publishers and labels are charging for those uses, but also to underestimate the power of those videos,” stated Menck, whose company has connected prominent brands such as TRESemmé, Target, and Suave with well-suited existing music for their TikTok campaigns. 

Music Can Deliver Unparalleled Impact For Brands on TikTok

Besides notable instances of certain brands’ music-powered marketing success on TikTok – like Ocean Spray’s prominent part in a trend that helped to reignite the career of Fleetwood Mac – data demonstrates the impact that carefully selected tracks can have on the way that companies are perceived. 

According to a multifaceted study commissioned by TikTok, when brands’ videos feature songs that users “like,” 68 percent of viewers better remember the company at hand, with nearly 60 percent of users feeling a stronger connection to the business and stating that they’re likelier to discuss it (and/or share the clip) as a result.

“Most of the time, TikTok is way more important than a commercial or a late-night show on television. There are more people watching that little TikTok, watching Reels, looking to their phone and laughing at something (that’s branded in this case) than paying attention to a commercial in the middle of programming,” Menck said.

“Trends move fast on TikTok, and do-it-yourself licensing can be slow,” MassiveMusic global creative strategy director Roscoe Williamson told us. 

One of six Certified Sound Partners added to TikTok’s existing Marketing Partners program midway through 2021, MassiveMusic creates bespoke songs tailored to brands and marketing objectives, driving engagement with and user-generated video trends for campaigns. In this way, clients can benefit from tracks that were created with their products – and the TikTok community’s preferences – front of mind, avoiding licensing headaches in the process. 

“Essentially, licensing on TikTok can be a bit of a minefield  – particularly if you’re dealing with a remix, mashup, or track containing various samples. Multiple rightsholders from both the label and publishing side may need to be contacted for approval – an often time-consuming process,” Williamson added. 

Custom-crafted songs, Williamson continued, can dramatically reduce licensing complexity while also being tailored to campaigns and brand objectives; TikTok indicated in the previously highlighted study that 65 percent of TikTokers prefer branded content that boasts original music. To date, MassiveMusic has worked to fuel viral engagement by creating bespoke tracks for companies including Shiseido, Lancôme, and Bliss. 

The Risk to Brands Using Music on TikTok – And How It Can Be Overcome

Meanwhile, Big Sync is helping brands find the ideal music for their TikTok campaigns despite the potentially hazard-wrought licensing process – which, in large part because of its relative newness, is replete with faulty advice and recommendations, according to Menck. 

“Brands are fully aware, they know that this licensing process is different, they know there must be an associated cost, but oftentimes they let the agencies, the creatives, convince them that things could be done in a less complicated and more economical way, while still achieving the same result,” Menck told DMN. 

“The agencies try to paint a specific picture for the brands; sometimes they fall for it, sometimes they call us and ask, ‘Is this for real?’ And we’re like, ‘No, it’s not real,’” he continued, proceeding to note that TikTok’s considerable size and reach mean that rightsholders will eventually identify (and seek compensation for) even minor instances of unauthorized music use from businesses. 

Ultimately, the music industry’s focus on TikTok song usages reflects the significant role that the platform plays today, especially among younger users. For companies, there’s never been a better time to try and reach consumers through the app, where music spurs trends, engagement, content creation, and brand awareness.

Now, it’s a matter of tailoring advert campaigns to capitalize upon TikTok’s vast promotional upside and simultaneously assuring that music is properly licensed. Expert guidance and input can prevent unforeseen obstacles and help to bring the desired results to fruition. 

Sync licensing is providing more paychecks and exposure to artists than ever. Now, Digital Music News has partnered with music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr to craft a whitepaper charting the space’s recent results and long-term potential.

Download the full report here.

The numerous deals delivered by sync licensing – and the volume-based visual-media landscape that it powers – are hardly a secret. DMN has spoken with a number of musicians who’ve scored significant placements, and everything from film to advertising and television to gaming is complemented by carefully selected songs.

Notwithstanding the growth of and opportunities within sync, the burgeoning sector has to this point lacked a comprehensive analysis of its various components and outlook. With the latest data, expert statements, and projections, the multifaceted Global Sync Licensing Trend Report from DMN and Songtradr aims to keep music industry professionals apprised of what’s happening – and what’s on the way – in the multibillion-dollar segment.

Here’s a snapshot of what readers can expect from the 24-page-long whitepaper.

The First All-Encompassing Examination of Sync’s Total Addressable Market

Few have attempted to identify the total addressable market of sync licensing, income from which is fragmented due to a widespread habit of classifying revenue in non-sync categories.

Labels generate billions from gaming and social-media deals, for instance, and YouTube disclosed in 2021 that it had paid roughly $1.2 billion to the music industry specifically for user-generated content during the prior year. Despite the income’s centering quite directly on marrying music and visual media, however, the Recording Industry Association of America attributed just $302.9 million to domestic “synchronization royalties” in 2021.

Digital Music News and Songtradr have, for the first time, analyzed the entirety of sync’s revenue sources, thereby painting a complete picture of the space’s present positioning and path forward.

Download the full report here.

A Detailed Assessment of Emerging Placement Opportunities

In addition to exploring the growth of film, television, and advertising spending, the sync whitepaper charts the value and possibilities of emerging placement opportunities, including in fitness and the fast-expanding worlds of gaming and user-generated content.

As the scope of sync broadens, so too will the available placements, exposure, and paychecks – making this pioneering assessment especially worthwhile for deal-minded artists and labels as well as visual media professionals who are working to stay ahead of the curve.

A Breakdown of 2021 Trends’ Impact on 2022 and Beyond

Drawing from the above-mentioned information and a study of the biggest placements, sync genres, and wider developments of 2021 and 2022’s first half, the report created by DMN and Songtradr also breaks down the trajectory of the segment’s creative direction and its relevance in the overarching music industry.

To be sure, what’s currently happening in sync is indicative of noteworthy industry trends that will only come to light in lengthy analyses months after the fact. In part because it ushers in commercial results for artists and genres themselves, sync is inextricably tied to the very latest in listener preferences.

Download the full report here.

DMN’s sync licensing whitepaper further covers metadata’s recent strides, digs into precise revenue and spending data from companies and industries, and highlights the growing influence of specific interactive platforms like Roblox and Fortnite.

Sync licensing played an especially important role for members of the music community when live was paused. Photo Credit: Chase Yi

Crowd-based live entertainment is returning to form after COVID-19 lockdown restrictions inflicted unprecedented damage upon artists and others. Digital Music News sat down with three music industry professionals to discuss the role that sync licensing income played when concerts and festivals were paused. 

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

COVID-19 closures and large-gathering bans affected the entirety of the entertainment, leisure, and hospitality industries, but it’s easy to argue that the music space was hit hardest of all. Overnight, a collection of varying (but universally stringent) rules prevented most every artist from performing before physical audiences. 

Venues, in turn, scrambled to stay afloat, dramatically scaling back operations or shutting down altogether. And the skilled behind-the-scenes staff who make live music possible were, predictably, left without work. 

Amid the loss of income from in-person concerts, a number of artists turned to livestreaming, with some having embraced socially distanced gigs and different earning opportunities yet. Unfortunately, the music world also parted with talent – including artists and musicians who were forced to quit doing what they love as well as creators who opted not to become part of the industry given the obstacles at hand. 

Sync licensing represented a relative bright spot during the decidedly dark period in music history, and the paychecks delivered by high-exposure deals provided financial security to many. Having spoken with several of the involved individuals about their placements since 2020’s beginning, DMN has now interviewed three professionals, each uniquely situated in the industry, to discuss sync’s broader impact when live was unavailable. 

Megan Dervin-Ackerman – Songwriter and Producer

Megan Dervin-Ackerman is a songwriter and producer whose credits include Cavale’s “Burst Into Flames” (which appeared in Netflix’s Emily in Paris) and Molly Baker’s recently released “Must Be Nice.”

Despite focusing her creative efforts on songwriting and producing as opposed to performing live, Megan Dervin-Ackerman told us that her livelihood was directly affected by venues’ shutting their doors at the pandemic’s onset. 

“I used to work in live music, at venues in the city as part of my gig while I was songwriting,” said Dervin-Ackerman. “So when COVID hit I lost like all my income.”

Consequently, the aforementioned placement of “Burst Into Flames,” which complemented the 10th episode of Emily in Paris’ initial season and marked Dervin-Ackerman’s first major placement, was important to say the least. 

“The Emily in Paris placement came pretty much in the middle of the pandemic, when I was like, ‘Am I doing the right thing? Should I try to get another job?’” she explained. 

“I’d never really had placements before,” continued Dervin-Ackerman. “It came at a time where I was questioning what I was doing, because we were in a world that’s changed. I think as musicians everyone had to pivot, which is sometimes hard to do unless you’re forced to.” 

The placement – which was followed by the appearance of “Burst Into Flames” in Love Island – quickly paid off in terms of straight compensation and career direction, Dervin-Ackerman communicated. 

“It did change things,” she elaborated. “Once you get a sync in something like this, it’s actually being streamed consistently too. That changes your quarterly income forever, and it was a big jump for me because I wasn’t used to having songwriter royalties or anything.

“It changed my perspective on what a work-lifestyle and life balance could be, and what’s available to me as a composer and a songwriter,” proceeded Dervin-Ackerman. “Prior to that, I thought I had to have five jobs. It just opened my eyes to a whole different way of creating music and what to be focusing on and aiming for.” 

Learning of sync’s income potential – and the possible benefits of zeroing in on the sphere – through experience, Dervin-Ackerman now works part time for an indie-focused licensing company, Perfect Dismount Music. Long term, she believes that sync is poised to continue growing in tandem with visual media, affording music professionals worthwhile opportunities along the way. 

“It’s the side of the industry that still has that consistency, and it doesn’t have the expenses that touring does,” she said of sync. “A lot of people who turn to it, once you have one success in it, you realize, ‘Oh, this is interesting. I can work from my home and still get paid.’

“How many TV shows have come out in the last year? Branding and marketing are never going to end, commercials are never going to end. There’s always a need for it, so you can pivot and figure out where you fit into that. It offers a lot of opportunities for musicians in an industry that otherwise feels very daunting and hard. It’s a hard career,” concluded Dervin-Ackerman. 

James Rhodes – Co-Founder and Vice President of FiXT Music

James Rhodes is the vice president of Burlington, Iowa-headquartered FiXT, which he co-founded with Klayton in 2006. The indie-owned label’s artists, including Scandroid, Daedric, and 3Force, have secured over 1,000 placements to date. 

Notwithstanding recent years’ heightened label interest in sync licensing – and the increasing opportunities available to members of the music community – James Rhodes’ FiXT has long been invested in the segment. 

“We’ve been aware of sync licensing since the inception of the company,” Rhodes told us. “It’s always been a piece of what we’ve done; we’ve been aware and focused on it.” 

The expertise associated with this longstanding commitment to sync laid the groundwork for noteworthy placements during lockdowns, Rhodes continued, as FiXT’s roster began producing more music in the absence of live. 

“We have a lot of artists on our roster that are more studio-producer artists, but we have a bunch of artists that are also touring,” he said. “We had several bands that went from doing shows and playing regularly to not being able to play.” 

3Force, Fury Weekend, and Scandroid in particular enjoyed a “nice boost” in sync placements throughout 2020 and 2021, the FiXT VP disclosed, while his label saw especially significant growth in virtual-reality gaming (and titles such as Synth Riders, Smash Drums, and BoomBox) as fans sought exhilarating entertainment from home. 

“We did music packs where we were able to license not just one song, but 10 and 15 songs – one of the games was like 25 of our songs as a pack,” said Rhodes, whose company inked a licensing deal with Twitch back in 2015. “The revenue from that definitely helped a bunch of our artists.”

Additionally, Rhodes acknowledged the sync byproducts of synthwave’s years-running resurgence in period-piece visual media, which has also enabled catalog tracks to break records and achieve renewed commercial success. 

“We have seen a huge demand for synthwave in a bunch of video games over the last few years,” he told us. “We’ve had some synthwave artists that weren’t getting a lot of licensing, and then that sound – Ready Player One and Stranger Things, there’s a lot of these movies and TV shows that are repopularizing that 80s sound. And then we saw it trickle down into video games.”

Ultimately, FiXT’s 16 years of sync experience mean that the label will adjust to the space’s inherent ebb and flow – without losing sight of placements’ value for artists when concerts and festivals were off the table. 

“We’re 16 years as a company, so we’ve seen things come in waves. We’ll have a year where we do a ton of sync and then a quieter year, based on the genres we’re in and what’s trending in culture and the types of music that companies are looking for in sync. 

“We have been having more activity recently. I don’t know if I can directly attribute that to COVID, but tying it back to some of the artists, they had previously been touring more and they weren’t able to. Any sync activity that we were generating for them was probably more beneficial or more appreciated than it may have been in the past because it was replacing a revenue stream that they had lost,” finished Rhodes. 

Destiny Roberts – Songwriter and Artist

Destiny Roberts is a songwriter and artist whose growing list of placements includes Netflix’s Chambers and Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty cosmetics line. The Saint Paul, Minnesota-based indie professional has also developed a mobile game, The ROY G. BIV Tape Series, that showcases her music and creativity. 

There’s never a good time to lose access to a key revenue source (live) or to see opportunities put on hold indefinitely. But for Destiny Roberts, the pandemic arrived at a particularly inopportune moment and, like for others in music and different entertainment industries, severely disrupted her career. 

“Before the pandemic happened, I was in a state with my music and career where a lot of momentum was building up,” the “AYO” artist told us. “Right before the pandemic I had dropped a seven-EP series called ROY G. BIV, where I created an EP for each color of the rainbow. So I dropped the red tape, the orange tape, the yellow tape, green tape, blue, indigo, and violet to follow the ROY G. BIV acronym to memorize the colors of the rainbow. With that I pretty much dropped an EP once every six or seven weeks throughout the year.” 

The releases contributed to considerable results for Destiny, who told DMN that far-reaching professional interest in the works set the stage for high-profile meetings with DJs, executives, and others. Additionally, concerts were a major focus – and revenue source – for Roberts pre-COVID. 

“I had shows almost every weekend up to that point. I was always getting paid doing shows, selling merch at shows. The month that it [the pandemic] happened, I probably missed out on around $5,000 between performances and merch,” she said to DMN. “Everything that was in motion stopped completely; everything that was planned got canceled. It literally turned my whole – everyone’s whole world upside down, not just me. We all went through it together.” 

While confronting and adapting to the changes (as well as live music’s then-bleak outlook), Roberts said that placing “The Jungle” in Netflix’s Chambers was extremely helpful in terms of the immediate paycheck and other areas of her career. 

“One of the most unexpected blessings was getting sync placements, especially being in a position where everything you had going was snatched from under you,” said Roberts, who’s gone on to place “The Jungle” in a spot for Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty cosmetics line.

“The sync placement I got – the timing of it was just too perfect. I was in a deficit, and that placement was able to keep me afloat. It was a surprise, but it was really awesome to get a placement like that at a time when it was really needed.

“My first big placement was on a Netflix pilot episode of a show called Chambers,” she continued. “I’ve had the most listeners that I’ve ever had in my career streaming-wise. Overnight, I went from 12 monthly listeners to over 1,000, in that one night. I’ve had so many messages from people around the world that watch the show, found me, love my music, and discovered me. And now they’re fans that listen to all my other songs.”  

Expanding upon the nature of these new fans, Roberts indicated that sync, unlike other areas of music, rewards individuality and unique sounds.

“I think messaging is a lot more important than people realize,” Roberts told us when asked about her advice for other sync-minded professionals. “When you’re intentional about what you say in your music and your messaging, you’re a little bit more uplifting and encouraging and just different, it’s a breath of fresh air from the norm of what’s out and what’s trendy.

“When you’re truly authentic with yourself and you’re intentional with what you say, I feel like you’re going to have an advantage. Because it’s such a breath of fresh air from what people are used to listening to.”

More broadly, the deal – and the potential within sync – has brought about a change in the way that Roberts approaches her career. 

“Syncing has been the best thing that’s happened to me in my career, and it’s something that I hope to keep getting,” finished Roberts. “Getting a placement, financially what that does for you and your career is such a blessing. If I can just get placements, I’ll be okay with that. And then whenever I feel like it, I’ll go on tour.”

Photo Credit: Stephen Luff / CC by 2.0

Kate Bush makes a rare public statement thanking fans after her 1985 hit “Running Up That Hill” sees a huge resurgence in popularity from its use on Stranger Things.

The song has seen a massive surge in popularity following its prominence in the latest season of Netflix’s Stranger Things. Kate Bush wrote on her website, “You might’ve heard that the first part of the fantastic, gripping new series of Stranger Things has recently been released on Netflix.”

“It features the song, ‘Running Up That Hill,’ which is being given a whole new lease of life by the young fans who love the show — I love it too!” She continues, “Because of this, ‘Running Up That Hill‘ is charting around the world and has entered the UK chart at No. 8. It’s all really exciting! Thanks very much to everyone who has supported the song. I wait with bated breath for the rest of the series in July,” she finishes.

The track initially appeared on Bush’s critically acclaimed fifth album, Hounds of Love, which she self-produced in a private studio near her home after the high costs of hiring studio space for work on her previous album. Many fans consider Hounds of Love to be Bush’s best work, topping the UK charts at its release and knocking Madonna’s Like a Virgin from the number one spot.

In Stranger Things, the song plays a vital role as a repeating motif throughout the fourth season, and it’s also the favorite song of character Max Mayfield, played by Sadie Sink. Since its appearance in the show, “Running Up That Hill” has gone viral, streaming numbers multiplying by thousands in the past week. 

According to Chartmetric data, Kate Bush has jumped to third place in alternative artists, eighth in rock artists, 11th in the UK, and 67th place overall.

To celebrate the beginning of Pride Month, Amazon Music recently unveiled trans singer and songwriter Kim Petras’ cover of “Running Up That Hill” as part of their PROUD Playlist. Petras also recently released her fourth EP, Slut Pop, through Republic Records, making it her first release under the label, with whom she signed in 2021.

An exterior shot of an Apple Store. Photo Credit: Laurenz Heymann

From the way placements come to fruition to the number of opportunities available to artists, sync licensing has changed dramatically in recent years. Amid this evolution and related transformations throughout the wider music and visual-media spaces, however, Apple’s sync relevance and influence are as strong as ever.

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

Nearly 21 years have passed since Apple released the first iPod, and the 15th anniversary of the iPhone’s debut will arrive at June’s end. A multitude of Apple devices and far-reaching music industry changes later, though, the Cupertino-headquartered company remains popular to say the least, having generated $19.82 billion in Q1 2022 just from services (including Apple Music and Apple TV+), which surpassed 825 million subscriptions.

Beyond these all-time-high income and subscribership totals, a growing stable of memorable song placements attests to the continued relevance of Apple on the sync side. An abundance of multibillion-dollar companies have spent (and are spending) substantial sums to try and leave a mark in advertising and cultivate a reputation for breaking the hit songs and artists of tomorrow. 

But admittedly, few have come close to matching Apple’s sync success – generally and in terms of jumpstarting the careers of promising up-and-coming acts. 

Jet, for instance, placed their now-famous “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” in the 2004 iPod “silhouette” spot. 18 years later, the track, as the Melbourne-based group’s most popular release, has 406.39 million Spotify streams and 131.26 million YouTube views (on the official upload) to its credit.

Meanwhile, Grouplove’s “Tongue Tied” complemented a 2011 iPod Touch advert and is still the Los Angeles-based band’s highest-charting and most streamed song (643.79 million Spotify streams and at least 70 million cumulative YouTube views). 

Even Apple-placed tracks that haven’t made as large of a pop-culture impact are benefitting from a boost in fan interest. Suzi Wu, for example, lent “Eat Them Apples” to an iPhone 12 commercial, and the work is, predictably, the London native’s best-performing Spotify upload. 

These and an array of other Apple placements have led many – in the music community, advertising sphere, and elsewhere – to speculate as to the precise reasons behind the company’s longtime prominence in sync. 

Now, Digital Music News has sat down with Breanna McFarlane, director of creative sync licensing at Songtradr, to analyze Apple’s sync significance, zeroing in on four particularly noteworthy placements to determine their broader strategic importance for the company. 

Apple Makes – Not Chases – Trends and Hit Songs 

Song: “1234” (2007)

Artist: Feist 

Commercial: Apple’s 2007 iPod Nano spot

Amherst, Nova Scotia-born Feist (full name Leslie Feist) released her first album in 1999, but it wasn’t until the arrival of her third solo album, 2007’s The Reminder, that she achieved global commercial success. And this commercial success was driven by the exposure that came with placing “1234” in Apple’s 2007 iPod Nano advert.

Featuring the music video for “1234” playing on the iPod Nano, the 30-second spot shows fans retrieving Nanos in succession, leaving behind a different-colored device each time. 

The commercial’s visually appealing nature isn’t the only thing that resonated with viewers, for the Grammy-nominated “1234” became Feist’s most well-known and highest-charting track after helping to market the Nano. Moreover, the song spurred meaningful results for The Reminder and other components of Feist’s career. 

That Apple licensed the little-known (at the time) song reflects the company’s longstanding commitment to indie and emerging acts. Placing tracks from throughout the music landscape, including current and future hits alike, enables Apple to find the perfect songs for its products and their campaigns, thereby keeping its image synonymous with cutting-edge art. 

The company then positions itself to make hits instead of chasing them, as was the case with the placement of The Ting Tings’ “Shut Up and Let Me Go” in a separate but similarly high-energy “silhouette” spot, unveiled this time in 2008. 

“Shut Up and Let Me Go” released on the Salford-based duo’s debut album, We Started Nothing, which received double-Platinum certification from the BPI. And with 53.81 million Spotify streams and millions of YouTube views (including across several fan-uploaded lyric videos), the Apple-placed song brought attention to both the album and the act. 

“I know personally I get a lot of requests where people say, ‘Give us somebody who is on the verge. Somebody who is ready to take off,’” McFarlane told DMN, indicating also that clients often call for artists who craft quality music for dedicated supporters but haven’t yet caught on with the masses. 

“I think brands want to stay relevant. They want to feel like what they put out there is fresh and current,” she continued, pointing out Apple’s influence on the way other brands approach music in advertising. 

There’s extra risk – and extra reward – associated with attempting to set new trends as opposed to operating within the framework of what’s already in vogue. 

Apple Spots Put Songs Front and Center, and Music Is An Integral Part of Apple’s Brand 

Song: “New Soul” (2007) 

Artist: Yael Naim

Commercial: First MacBook Air spot

French-Israeli singer Yael Naim made a major splash in the U.S. after “New Soul” supplemented Apple’s first commercial for the MacBook Air. Steve Jobs is rumored to have personally selected the song, which remains Naim’s most popular stateside single and most streamed release (134.96 million Spotify streams). 

The optimistic and engaging track suits the straightforward spot at hand – consisting of a MacBook Air being removed from a manilla envelope and opened. And on this front, McFarlane acknowledged the importance of “hitting the ground running” with music in advertising.

“Especially in an ad, you only have a few seconds to engage the customer. A track that is upbeat right away, and has those punches and builds too, definitely goes a long way when you have such a short window,” she said. 

“New Soul” certainly grabs listeners’ attention out of the gate, and tellingly, it’s chiefly the beginning of the song that plays during the Apple ad. The same is true of a number of the company’s other sync placements – including some of those mentioned above as well as Anna of the North’s “Dream Girl,” minus about seven seconds of instrumentals at the outset and with a slight modification at the spot’s end. 

The point signifies a notable contrast to the many non-Apple spots that feature various portions of songs (or even omit their vocals). Significantly, no shortage of the latter ads, instrumental-only commercials from VRBO, Samsung, Suave, and Target among them, succeed in bringing to life their respective creative visions. 

But Apple advertisements put their music front and center, embracing the essence of songs to resonate with consumers. An additional example lies in the close connection between song lyrics and the direction of efforts like the 2022 Apple Card spot (featuring Big Boi’s “Chocolate”) and, way back in 1999, a commercial for the iMac (complemented by The Rolling Stones’ “She’s A Rainbow”). 

This bold tendency to tie the appeal of adverts directly to the appeal of music has undoubtedly played a part in Apple’s decades of influencing sync and turning tracks into hits. 

Apple’s Hardware and Platform Are Inherently Interconnected

Songs: “Chitty Bang” (2022) and “I Look Good” (2020) 

Artists: Leikeli47 and O.T. Genasis

Commercials: Separate iPhone 13 spots (Leikeli47 and O.T. Genasis)

Gauging the total commercial effect that Apple ad placements will have on Leikeli47’s “Chitty Bang” and O.T. Genasis’s “I Look Good” is difficult, for the tracks made their way into the spots in question earlier this year. The majority of the previously mentioned placements helped artists to secure a variety of awards and career opportunities – including future sync deals – months and years after the fact. 

However, it is possible to gain a sense of the early post-placement performance of “Chitty Bang” and “I Look Good.” The official YouTube uploads of the Apple spots containing the songs boast 9.25 million views (“Chitty Bang”) and 6.27 million views (“I Look Good”), and both videos’ descriptions contain links to the songs on Apple Music. 

While the placed tracks aren’t the most streamed projects from Leikeli47 and O.T. Genasis, the impact of the Apple adverts is also clear in different areas. Fans have used the Apple-owned Shazam app to identify “I Look Good” over 565,000 times, for instance, and north of 203,000 for “Chitty Bang.” 

The interconnectivity of Apple’s products and platforms represents another contributor not only to the company’s business success, but to the results it delivers artists. 

“I think Apple is just so easy to use,” said McFarlane. “It makes it really, really easy for people to go on and get an idea of the top songs an artist has, find their albums super quickly, add to playlists – all of that is very easy. 

“Especially for us in the sync space, we get a lot of, ‘We want to find similar artists to Drake.’ And with that, I can just Shazam, and then Shazam will lead me to Apple because they’re connected. So when I Shazam something it automatically goes into my Apple playlist, and from there I can open up the artist on the Apple app and listen through to their album, get an idea of the music they have, and find similar artists that way.” 

Fans’ ability to utilize Apple products and apps to identify, stream, and save music – not to mention find alike works – fuels the company’s sync relevance. Other multinational brands with strong commercials and carefully placed songs simply aren’t one-stop resources for music.

Scene from BMW’s 2022 Super Bowl LVI ad (Photo Credit: BMW)

What’s the secret behind great sync matches? Here’s a comprehensive look at the ‘Music Select Methodology (MSM)’ by Joe Belliotti of MassiveMusic North America.

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

As with marketing and advertising, selecting music in advertising is both an art and a science. While art preferences are subjective — we all have our favorite songs, artists and memories associated with them — the scientific, objective dimension of music selection is not well understood.

“Brands with sound that fits their brand identity are 96% more likely to be recalled than those with non-fit music or no music at all,” according to the University of Leicester. Going beyond subjective opinion and taste, strategic music selection must pick the most effective and impactful content.

Whether you are a brand marketer, agency creative, artist, record label, or publisher pitching music for ads, this guide will ensure you pick the most suitable music for the brand, story, and audience.

Agency creatives, often with the help of music experts, make the vast majority of a brand’s music decisions, as they are the stewards of the story the brand tells through a particular piece of content.

Yet most artists, labels, and publishers think in terms of “this song (or this artist) is perfect for the brand,” rather than, “does this song tell a compelling story? Will this song resonate with my intended audience?” Therein lies the methodology.

Right for the Brand, Right for the Story, Right for the Audience

The ability to balance both the artistic and scientific elements will enable music selections that drive a powerful narrative, while at the same time building the brand personality in the hearts and minds of audiences.

Music not only attracts an audience to great creative. It also helps artists go beyond paid or brand-owned channels and find their way into the music and pop culture conversation.

What is a brand anyway? For purposes of this methodology, brand will mean consumer brands, film, TV series, video games, events, and sports franchises.

What do each of these mean and how do you balance these in music selection?

Right for the Brand

Every brand has a personality. If we really peel back the layers, a brand exists in our minds as an abstract web of associations. For example, our own memories and marketing formed a unique perception of Coca-Cola, despite the product being nothing more than a sparkling beverage.

Terms that aid in articulating brand personality help to express these perceptions. Our company, MassiveMusic, created a tech tool called MassiveBASS, described as the world’s first data-driven sonic branding tool that matches your brand archetype and values to music. Tools like this help brand owners think in terms of their brand through music and sound, while providing consumer insights into what a sound communicates.

Thomas Marzano, Former Global Head of Brand Experience at Philips, comments: “We asked MassiveMusic to translate the Philips brand into a new, simple set of audio assets. But together, we have in fact transformed the sonic brand identity across-the-board, which will radically change our brand recognition and help continue to put our consumers’ experience at the core of the business.”

My personal interpretation of the sound of ‘optimism’ may differ from yours. Having a large audience pool helps find what will resonate best across audiences. A brand built on innovation and discovery reinforces that point of view in music selections; so, rather than license a classic 80s hit, the path would be to introduce new songs and new talent through advertising. Conversely, a brand built on classic nostalgia should not look to confuse consumers by breaking the hottest new track in their ads.

In addition to these brand personality traits, the more data points we have available, the more informed our selections become.

Even when a song matches the more personality-driven, subjective criteria, there are some practical questions that MUST be raised. Having connections in the music industry enables a brand or creative to make better decisions and effectively secure the rights for music.

These questions include: 

• • Does the artist love the brand? Even though you may have the ability to license a song, the artist being proud of the association is advantageous. An artist’s endorsement helps prevent future negative backlash; if the ad becomes insanely popular and the press asks the artist their opinion, you do not want the artist to speak unenthusiastically, or even disparagingly, about the brand.

• • The issue of compliance obligation arises. In some cases, usually involving older catalog songs in which a publisher controls the copyright, a label controls the recording and neither party is obligated to get outside approval or to notify the singer. Use of the singer’s voice in a commercial implies endorsement, and if not clarified, causes brand issues.

• • Can we afford it? Using an iconic or popular song is great, but not every campaign has the budget for The Beatles’ music. Affording the song also necessitates being a smart buyer. Do not compromise on the usage rights you need — this spells disaster when you need to expand the media or lengthen the term.

• • What is the song’s history? Some songs may have never been used in advertising and some songs and artists — think Queen — have been used everywhere! To know the commercial history, one must ask: has a song been used by a competitor in your brand’s category? Or, is the song being considered by another brand outside your category? If you run into a situation in which a brand is concurrently using the same song, there may be no recourse if the license permits this.

• • While we have spent most of the focus on the strategic and creative selection, we should also note that securing the rights to music impacts selection. A brand could find the perfect song that perfectly tells the story of their commercial and appeals to their target consumer, but the cost for the usage rights are either out of budget or require a compromise. Compromising the rights to fit your budget is never recommended.. What if the campaign is extremely successful and extends into new media, new markets, or beyond the term length? Did you pre-negotiate options? Have you considered relatively new platforms such as TikTok? Brands find issues interpreting the use of content created by influencers who utilize music. Consider the potential life of the content over time and across media.

Right for the Story

This part of the methodology involves matching the feelings evoked from the audio to the feelings evoked from the visuals and dialogue. The lyric or lyrical theme, mood, and tempo all come into play to support the narrative of the script. The goal may aim to precisely match the sonic and visual moods, or it may strive to alter the viewers’ perception through the purposeful use of music.

Lyrics play a key role. Most people initially identify with lyrics and feel the intent and message of a song through the lyrics. So, finding keywords and lyrical themes are key.

Keywords are more direct. If I have a script, scene, or story about ‘strength’, I would look at songs such as Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger.”

One should not stop at keywords though, as lyrical themes uncover powerful music choices as well. For example, we have a story of ‘empowerment.’ If we only searched for songs with the keyword “empower” we would miss Clarkson’s  “Stronger.” So, by looking at the lyrical theme we find “Stronger,” the ultimate song of empowerment.

Layer in the consideration of the song’s mood. Even if I do not track the lyrics, sometimes there is dialogue in a scene or the mix is low; so, the mood of the music helps deliver the mood of the story. The tempo of the song moves the story along, keeps the audience engaged, and tracks with each second, each beat, and each pulse.

At MassiveMusic we use this example in our Sonic Inspiration Sessions to show brands how sound directly impacts and completely changes audience perception. The music has the power to set — and dramatically change — the intended mood and narrative.

Right for the Audience

I have seen brands who look to connect with a younger audience use songs from the 60s or 70s. Even though the lyrics might reinforce the storyline, the brand is not conveying the message that they are a brand “for someone like them” through their music selection.

Audiences Demographics and Psychographics

Demographics inform us of the audience profile and the popularity of certain tracks. Sometimes, I look for a direct match of the brand audience to the song’s audience. It is not always about connecting with a brand’s current audience, but rather to attract a new audience.

Psychographics bring us even closer to the audience by providing very useful and insightful information about their lifestyle, interests, hobbies and values. For example, a brand such as REI, The North Face or Patagonia appeals to outdoor enthusiasts. With the right data sets we find the perfect artist or song that appeals to outdoor enthusiasts to ensure the music matches the audience’s passions.

Examples of who is doing it well…

Apple: When asking brand marketers which companies they see winning with music, Apple typically comes up. Apple’s use of music consistently rendered their advertising innovative, fresh, and culturally relevant. The public took notice of the silhouette ad series and the brand introduced new music from various artists to the world.

Coca-Cola: Historically, Coca-Cola shaped culture by teaching the world to sing or enlisting ARTISTS to create songs around their new tagline, “things go better with Coke.”

Conclusion

Selecting music is an art and a science. Despite the subjectivity of music taste, in order to drive narratives and grow brands, we must make calculated choices. Today, the increasing access to data and insights fuels the scientific facet of music selection, informing our creative choices.

Using this methodology of ‘Right for the Brand,’ ‘Right for the Story,’ and ‘Right for the Audience,’ we provide a framework that guides selections to maximize strategic fit, creative resonance, and optimal effectiveness for pairing music with content.

Photo Credit: Caught In Joy

Synchronization provides artists and composers with a new way to earn income from their music. But what makes music sync-worthy?

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

Digital Music News recently sat down with three highly influential music supervisors and creative directors to discuss rising trends in the sync space. The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed this space across the globe. 

Joining us today:

• Patrícia Portaro – Head of Music Supervision, LATAM, Big Sync Music
• Johanna Cranitch – Associate Creative Director, MassiveMusic North America
• Alexandra Carlsson Norlin – Music Supervisor, Big Sync Music

Johanna Cranitch	Patricia Portaro	Alexandra Carlsson Norlin

Every artist looking to break into the music synchronization business has one burning question. “What kind of music should I make if I want to get sync deals?” Unfortunately, there’s not a simple answer to that question but rather a broad billboard to help steer you in the right direction. 

What’s the most important aspect of creating a ‘syncable’ song?

Johanna: “The first ting I will say is that lyric content is really important when it comes to sync. Having lyrics that are universal, not too specific and can span many different situations. For example, having the feeling of love – but not necessarily romantic love. We look for a lot of things like that in music; that can evoke a specific feeling while being universal.”

Patrícia: “In general, music builds emotion. That’s what we normally look for. But I think that every project has a different music need. A song that works in a series like ‘Sex Education’ for example, is different from one that works in a Dove commercial or a drama series.

What is syncable in audio/visual has some degree of uncertainty. It’s more about what the project requires than anything else. Of course, there are some characteristics that make certain songs more syncable than others. When it comes to commercials, songs that have a lot of energy and inspiration. They also cannot be repetitive because a brand has to evoke a feeling in the audience in 30 seconds or less.”

Alexandra: “Music’s purpose is to tell a story, but this is a very difficult question to answer definitively – because a story can be anything. Storytelling is definitely the most important aspect of good music sync. A song that is a good fit for the situation will have a little bit of everything, especially so you can lean into the specific emotion that is being evoked.”

What are some of the trends you have experienced in music sync for 2021 and leading into 2022?

Johanna: “In terms of trends, I’m seeing a lot of nostalgia. It seems to be really coming back with a vengeance, especially since the pandemic. I think we’re looking back on times before 2019 with a fondness, when things were classic and simple. We’ve been getting a lot of requests for cover versions of well-known songs, or songs that are nostalgic in a sense, with a retro-sounding vibe. It’s kind of like we’re heading back into the garage rock era of music sync.”

“I think one of the biggest developing trends heading into 2022 is we’re looking at more of a throwback sound. TikTok has helped drive the revival of nostalgia that we’re seeing, especially with things like music for commercials. The Fleetwood Mac/OceanSpray video came about organically, but it’s exactly the kind of thing we’re seeing pop up.”

Patrícia: “The ‘syncable’ trend changes a bit depending on the territory. In Brazil, producers tend to be very local and use a lot of Brazilian songs. This is about the culture, but it also happens because of the conditions we live in at the moment. It makes the market use much more Brazilian music than anything else.”

“But I also think it’s important to talk about lyrics, because the lyrics are an important factor when we talk about what music is syncable or not. If the lyrics are too specific, they have fewer chances to be synced.”

Alexandra: “Happy emotions are always going to be big in sync, but people are stepping outside of the box now. They’re being a little bit more brave and willing to try things that maybe have not been explored in the past. There’s also more thought being put into being inclusive in this space, including more women and people who identify as non-binary.”

What do you like to hear in the music you’re considering for a sync project?

Johanna: “I think it’s important to have peaks and valleys and a wide dynamic range in music. It’s important for artists to consider the medium in which their music will be heard, too. We’re no longer just working with one audio format, with someone hearing the ad on the radio or television. You have to really think about a lot of different mediums when writing music for sync.”

Patrícia: “In my experience, songs about love are always easier to find a sync placement for. Because normally there is some kind of love story in the series of in the film, not necessarily romantic love, but other forms of love. Music that talks about love usually gets placed more frequently.”

Alexandra: “I think we’re still very much in the pop era, where everything has to be appealing to a broad audience. It can’t be too different from what broadly appeals to everyone. Uplifting music that builds and evokes a feeling will always have a place in sync.”

What genres of music are you surprised to see popping up in the sync business?

Johanna: “MoTown and Soul music are making a big comeback. Any music that evokes a feeling of nostalgia, in a sense. Music with guitar, bass, driving drums and with great production values will always be in demand.”

Patrícia: “Classical songs are also always present in our projects from the last five years. Maybe because classical music can be used in so many different situations. Also because you only pay for one right for the recording, not the copyright. So this is something that happens a lot.”

“We’ve also noticed an opening for more lofi music, something calm and relaxed. Before the pandemic, we hadn’t seen this trend before. Hip-hop, chill vibes, etc. – this kind of music was very rare to see before the pandemic.”

Alexandra: “It’s hard to say any specific genre or single element, again because the sync business is so broad. But it all leads back to the storytelling. If the storytelling is different, the music requirements for the brief change. It feels like maybe it’s more what’s in line with where a specific market is, or where it’s going.”

“You don’t want to try and use the traditional American sound everywhere; that’s not going to work. You want to be a bit more local and focus on what’s popular in a specific region.”

Do you have any tips for musicians who are looking to get into the music sync business?

Johanna: “Universal lyrics and modern production that pays attention to trends will always be important in the sync market. Any artist looking to break into this competitive space should be paying close attention to the ads that are playing around them. Pay attention to commercials on TV, the internet – everywhere. You’ll quickly learn what is hot and trending for marketing.”

Patrícia: “We see a lot of R&B artists appearing in Brazil, and in commercials, there have been many more R&B songs over the last few years. I don’t think the music necessarily has to be ‘pop’ anymore to be synced, but feeding into particular genres definitely increases your chances of success.”

Alexandra: “You have to be practical about your approach. You should have a shortlist of goals you want to achieve when you pitch music. If a music supervisor wants more from you, they’ll reach out. The chances of being hugely successful in sync are a lot smaller, especially when you’re writing for specific projects.”

So what are some of the driving music sync trends?

Johanna, Patrícia, and Alexandra have highlighted the need for many different types of music in the sync space. Pop trends remain king of broad appeal, but it’s interesting to see genres like hip-hop and R&B becoming more represented in the sync space than before. As noted by all three women, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed what works in the sync space with nostalgic sound specific to regions making a huge comeback. 

Singer-songwriter Tina Mathieu joined DMN to discuss her sync licensing success, including a newly finalized Suave placement on TikTok. Photo Credit: Olivier Bergeron

Having recently placed her music in a Suave advert made specifically for TikTok, folk-soul singer and songwriter Tina Mathieu sat down with Digital Music News to discuss the deal and how social media is fundamentally changing the sync licensing space. 

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

The veteran singer-songwriter Mathieu established a “positive-pop duo” called Real Fiction with longtime producer Max Allyn last year, and the act’s “Live It 2 The Limit” drives the creative direction of a Suave spot that, as mentioned, was crafted for the short-form video-sharing app as opposed to television. 

In the roughly 23-second-long clip – the official upload of which has garnered north of 5.4 million views thus far – social-media influencer Ashley Nocera purchases a new Suave hair-care product at Target, which also contributed to the commercial. Nocera (who boasts approximately 3.4 million Instagram followers) then tests out the item and, evidently satisfied with its quality, rushes back to Target to stock up.

“It was really cool when this one came through,” Mathieu told DMN of her placement in the multi-brand advert. “It was fun for it to be a beauty ad, and to see how they put it together in conjunction with Target. It was exciting to see it all get put together.”

And from a technical perspective, Mathieu noted that the campaign, in a stark contrast to television and film placements, delivered detailed viewership stats – one of several byproducts associated with advertisements that are made for social media.

“That’s the cool thing about it, that you can actually see the metrics of how many people have seen it and watched it. It’s interesting, the whole ad space now is changing,” said the creator, whose work has appeared on NBC, TLC, Bravo, and Lifetime, to name some. 

“Things are changing with royalties and whatnot on the backend for things like these social-media platforms,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of kinks to work out, and I think that it is interesting to sort of have a place and a role in the way that advertising is changing and moving.”

Elaborating upon the part she’s playing in advertising’s evolution, Mathieu – who’s set to release an EP entitled This Blue Shall Pass on Thursday, November 18th – emphasized the difference between television’s royalty structure and that of social media. 

“As far as being on TikTok versus on actual television advertising, like I was saying there’s some interesting things going on in the background with royalties, which it’s very cool that it’s on TikTok, but I’m not sure that it’s trying to save us in all of the best ways possible. 

“There are still kinks to be worked out as far as monetarily, and so it’ll be interesting to see what the difference will be once they get some of those royalty deals signed,” she continued, reiterating that social-media sync’s compensation is substantial but will increase as leading platforms finalize royalty pacts. “It’s awesome to have your song in something, but it’s also what us musicians and artists and songwriters are doing as a living. Being able to follow the money and understand it is a really big part of it as well.” 

And on this front, the value of placements on high-engagement mediums like TikTok – where users interact with content directly – extends beyond the licensing fee at hand. Real Fiction has already placed “Live It 2 The Limit” in a soon-to-be-released Dove spot – which, along with the Suave commercial, is poised to bolster interest from advertisers and fans alike. 

“It’s been really cool for us as artists and musicians to be able to use that as a foot in – to be like, ‘Hey, I’ve got this placement, so now I can get this one and that one and the next one and become the talking point.’ And it really does help you sort of get the next opportunity.

“You never know when you’re going to see it [a placed song] or hear it, or someone’s going to send it to you and be like, ‘Hey, I heard your song on this,’ proceeded the “Share the Sunshine” creator Mathieu. “Especially when it can be Shazamed, and there are other apps with that same feature, where it’s like your song is on a commercial or in a film, and people like it and they Shazam it. They have instant access to find your song and find your music. That’s obviously a bonus for sure.” 

Of course, the idea that sync licensing placements and their multifaceted effects lay the groundwork for future successes has a unique meaning for artists who are currently looking to establish a presence in the ever-competitive sphere. But Mathieu, touching upon a point that other professionals have mentioned, said that remaining authentic and positive are musts for emerging acts – especially amid the inherent temptation to make music that seems to be in vogue for sync. 

“Don’t put yourself in a box. A lot of people when you say, ‘I’m an artist’ or ‘I’m a songwriter,’ they go, ‘Oh, what kind of music do you write?’ And immediately you have to pick something,” she explained. “Well what if I know how to write this music and I know how to write folk music, but I also know how to write pop? But I also like to write musicals? Don’t feel like you have to pick something to pick something. Do it all, and then you will know what comes naturally and organically to you.” 

A similar idea, Mathieu finished, holds true for experienced artists and musicians who are hunting for placements and commercial results today, in a music industry (and an advertising industry) that looks decidedly different than it did a decade ago. 

“You’re never too old to make music. There’s this thing of like – especially if you’re a female – you need to be 25. I’m making these placements, and I’m not 25. People who still want to make music but they feel like their time has passed, there’s so many opportunities to make money making music and to fulfill your soul by making music. You can’t really put a genre or an age on that.”

Bearing the advice in mind, Mathieu is embracing the positives of social-media placements – and taking the previously highlighted hang-ups in stride – while remaining cognizant of the broader changes that her pioneering efforts will bring about in the long term. 

“There’s a lot of unknowns, but I think on the other side it will be really beneficial for artists and musicians and writers like myself,” she concluded. 

Music industry and sync licensing veteran Aaron Saloman, whose music appears in Nissan’s 2023 Z ad.

Fresh off a major placement in a Nissan Z ad, musician and composer Aaron Saloman joined Digital Music News to discuss the deal – and explain how seemingly small sync licensing successes can pave the way for larger opportunities in the long term. 

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Here, we take a closer look at the person and process behind the upcoming Nissan Z ad. Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

Aaron Saloman’s “Questfunk” sets the mood in a quick-moving Nissan Z ad entitled “The Arrival,” which showcases the Yokohama-headquartered automobile manufacturer’s 2023 Z. Prior to securing this and other high-profile placements through Songtradr, however, Montréal-based Saloman established a presence in the sync licensing space by uploading his music to emerging song libraries. And at the time, all manner of reality-TV professionals were licensing tracks through these resources, which hadn’t yet been deluged with songs.

“I was kind of lucky enough to come up with the first batch of composers who were doing reality-TV libraries pretty much like a decade or a little more ago,” said Saloman, whose music has appeared in programs including Jersey Shore, American Pickers, and Teen Cribs. “So I was getting all these placements through those libraries, which you don’t really do anything to get. And the shows don’t even pay for the music – you’re just getting royalties.”

Of course, the emergence of artist-friendly sync platforms like Songtradr (and, in turn, upfront licensing fees) has enabled music professionals to put royalty-only placements in the rearview. To make the most of the opportunities that were available to him at the time, though, the aaronmusic productions owner used the deals to bolster his portfolio and separate his body of work from those of competing creators.  

“Your average person doesn’t know what’s going on in the background,” said the Sleep Drones creator Saloman. “I can certainly put on the resume that I have these hundreds of placements in all these TV shows you’ve heard of, and someone who might be looking at me for a documentary or for a bigger placement – they don’t care that they came through a non-exclusive library.

“You always have to think about how a layperson is going to be looking at these things,” he specified of sync placements. “I don’t really care what the nuts and bolts were of how someone was successful in something, and whether that’s the approved way to do it or not. Let’s say I saw some artist’s visual artwork hanging in a gallery. I don’t even know how it got there. I’m just impressed that it’s there.”

Saloman – who created the soundtrack for Toronto-headquartered Capybara Games’ Critter Crunch remaster – proceeded to acknowledge an increase in interest from advertising teams following his work in gaming. 

“I’ve definitely had a couple people at ad agencies be impressed by the fact that I’ve worked on video games,” the veteran music professional told Digital Music News. “I guess now it’s a lot cooler to work on video games than it was at the time – like 10 years ago. But yeah, that whole industry has since taken off and become kind of the primary cultural industry on Earth.”

On this front, Saloman then explained that heightened competition and additional responsibilities for composers (such as certain programming duties) have thus far prevented him from crafting music for other gaming projects. Similarly, the audio engineer noted that the modern music industry’s sync licensing arena is extremely competitive.

“It definitely is, yeah, it’s more competitive than ever,” he indicated of the contemporary sync licensing sphere. “It was relatively easy for me to get into at least the sort of lower-tier reality-TV placement thing when I started. And that’s not so easy – even that tier of placements isn’t so easy for people now. And then the bigger placements, like for ad agencies, have just gotten harder and harder.”

Notwithstanding this amplified competition, an ongoing hike in visual-media production means that there are also more placement opportunities available to creators – particularly on social media. Other musicians have explained how a volume-based approach to sync is allowing them to nab noteworthy deals.

And in the future, it’s possible that today’s high-exposure placements on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and different services could prove just as professionally beneficial as the rapid-fire reality-TV licenses of the past, building musicians’ portfolios and attracting interest across the visual-media industry. 

But the near-term advantages of sync licensing remain considerable, and Saloman also had some advice for creators as they continue to pursue results in the space.

“There’s not that many people who have a bunch of music ready to go in the formats that are useful to companies or to ad agencies,” said Saloman. “There’s probably only a small group of people who an ad agency can email, and that person would reply with, ‘Oh yes, I have the track ready to go, and I also have an instrumental mix printed, and I also already have a 60-second commercial edit done, and a 30-second commercial edit done.’

“That can be a way to set yourself apart, if you know the lingo and what’s gonna be asked for and you already have that stuff ready to go. It makes you very easy to work with.

“Get instrumental mixes printed when you’re making a record,” Saloman finished. “If you’re an artist, not strictly a sync composer, if you’re just an artist with an album but you’re also hoping to pick up some sync deals, absolutely have your engineer print instrumental versions when you’re doing the mixes.”  

Bearing in mind the sizable growth that sync licensing has enjoyed in recent years – not to mention visual media’s own growth trajectory – a multitude of placement opportunities are forthcoming. While there’s no surefire way to obtain potentially career-changing deals, an array of examples suggest that each placement is a meaningful step in the right direction.

Photo Credit: Robyn Cage

Robyn Cage is hard at work on her third studio album in Utah, but she found the time to speak with Digital Music News about sync licensing.

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

Synchronization licensing is one of the more opaque areas of the music industry, especially for independent artists. How do you get your music heard by music supervisors on projects? How do you navigate the complex world of metadata to make sure everyone who worked on the project is compensated fairly? Robyn answers some of these burning questions for beginners and more while sharing her passion – creating original music.

DMN: Hi Robyn, thanks for being here. Can you tell me a little bit about what the process was like, getting started with Songtradr? 

Robyn: I know a lot of artists are interested in creating music specifically for licensing – but I’m just an artist. I make music I want to hear. So the extra step for me was making sure I had instrumentals for my tracks with proper metadata for my files. Going through the submission process with Songtradr was simple after that. It’s really an easy process to go through, it’s non-exclusive, and I’ve been with them for about three years now.

There’s a good amount of setup time that goes into it, don’t get me wrong. You have to plug-in all of the credits and metadata for your music. But when I get a license, the funds are automatically divided between us. The credits go in the front-end, but once you’ve got it set up it’s set it and forget it.

DMN: Is there anything about the sync licensing process you wish you had known before you got started?

Robyn: After three years, what I know now is it’s mostly the same songs in my catalog that get licensed over and over again. There are just certain songs that seem to be the licensable ones. That tends to be the more upbeat tracks, the positive, up-tempo beats that are licensed most. That’s something I think a new artist might want to focus on, if they’re getting into making music for targeting sync licensing deals.

It’s also really helpful when putting together a song pitch to know what type of emotions and feelings a music supervisor wants to evoke. That initial pitch may be all you get.

DMN: In your experience, what has been the best way to get your music in the ears of music supervisors?

Robyn: Having a home studio set up where you can turn around music really fast has been extremely beneficial to me. You can check the breakdowns on a daily basis, seeing what there’s a need for and being flexible to create tracks within a few hours that match a mood or tone for a specific project. If I wanted to do music licensing as a full-time income pursuit, that’s the way I would go.

For me it’s been an awesome source of supplemental income, but it comes very sporadically. Every once in a while I get a good placement, but you never know what’s going to happen.

DMN: What has been the most effective promotional tool for your music? 

Robyn: Oh, Songtradr has definitely been the most effective for me. I have a reminder on my phone that tells me every day to check Songtradr. Every day, I’m checking the breakdown to see what they need. Sometimes opportunities stay over multiple days – but that’s pretty rare. Most of the time they go really fast. So I like to check every day and submit my music to any projects that I feel might be a good fit for the music I create.

DMN: You mentioned that your upbeat and positive vibes music tends to get licensed more. Any sync licensing tips for musicians who tend to write darker compositions? 

Robyn: Hmm, that’s a good question. One of my songs that gets placed a lot is lyrically quite dark, but if you listen to just the instrumental track it sounds quite fun. For darker or more somber music, it really depends on the genre.

Right now, anything that has a Latin sound or a hip-hop sound is really in demand. If that’s your wheelhouse, any artist that does that is gonna be in good shape right now. If someone makes darker pop music, my recommendation would be to reach out to music supervisors who are curating music for dark drama TV shows, like “American Horror Story.”

The timeline on music submission is also wildly different than what you might expect. Like a couple months ago you would see a lot of requests for holiday and Christmas-related  stuff. Music needs for holiday productions can run anywhere from three to six months ahead of the holiday – so having music ready to go to fit that mood is a great foot in the door.

DMN: Tell me a little bit more about what you’re working on, outside of your licensed music.

Robyn: I’m currently working on my third studio album and a podcast rock opera. It’s kind of like an audio drama with scenes and songs in each episode.

DMN: What is your favorite licensed project that features your work?

Robyn: Oh that’s a hard question to answer. Hmm. I think it would have to be the trailer for Fries the Movie. I know that’s a weird one, but I really like the placement. I also had a song that was used in Tyler Perry’s “Nobody’s Fool” that was a top-ten grossing movie in theaters for quite a while, so that was really fun. That song got quite a bit of exposure through that alone.

DMN: Any other tips or anything else you think artists interested in sync licensing should know?

Robyn: Here’s one thought I think is a direction a lot of people don’t go in. I’ve had my music placed in commercials, so I have connections with ad agencies. Someone who doesn’t have those connections should reach out to those agencies with a sampling of their music and instrumentals.

This is a highly targeted local thing. If that particular agency needs something created, they may reach out to you to see if you can turn it around in a few hours. Reaching out to a local producer to create a track for the commercial keeps everything local – so that’s one direction artists may go when getting started.

Clear water and a pristine stretch of beach as seen from Saona Island, Dominican Republic. Photo Credit: Danu Widjajanto

Having recently scored a major placement in the hit sitcom Call Me Kat through music licensing and distribution platform, Songtradr, El Swing de Nicky Catarey sat down with Digital Music News to explain how the deal came about, while Max Mejia, founder and CEO of MMP Global Music, joined the conversation to discuss exciting trends in today’s quick-moving sync landscape.

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

El Swing de Nicky Catarey – consisting of tropical-music mainstay Nicky Catarey, whose full name is Juan Andujar – placed “Chipa y Fuego (Salsa)” in the 12th episode (appropriately entitled “Salsa”) of Call Me Kat. And Max Mejia’s MMP Global Music, for its part, has worked to maximize royalty payments – and handle licensing – for artists including Catarey since forming in 2016.

“Chipa y Fuego” sets the mood as Call Me Kat’s titular character (played by The Big Bang Theory lead and Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik) shows off her salsa dance moves at the episode’s conclusion, joined soon thereafter by the other stars on the show, which has been renewed for a second season. Though “Chipa y Fuego” appears uniquely well-suited for this closing scene of the Fox comedy – an adaptation of BBC’s Miranda – Nicky Catarey explained that his hometown served as the inspiration for the track. 

“The song was inspired by my hometown, my people,” the Dominican creator told DMN. “And most importantly, my friends use the catchphrase ‘chipa y fuego,’ it’s very common on the islands – in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, it’s very common when friends get together and just have a good time. So that’s how the song came to be; it was inspired by these people.” 

Between exposure hurdles and licensing considerations, it goes without saying that the journey onto U.S. television proved difficult for songs – and especially Spanish-language tracks – in the not-so-distant past. But Mejia, echoing the sentiment of several musicians we’ve spoken with, explained that his and Catarey’s experience licensing “Chipa y Fuego” on Songtradr was easy and straightforward. 

“Placements usually involve a little bit of a lengthier process, if you will,” said Mejia, who began uploading music to Songtradr around the time of its founding. “Because I’ve dealt with other companies, and it’s a little bit different – this was a lot smoother. Not dealing directly with the boss, and not dealing directly with the company, but connecting through the songwriting experience, it was a little bit smoother.” 

Considerable exposure comes with placing a song in the heart of a major television network’s primetime lineup, and as a number of artists can vouch for, this exposure often translates into increased fan interest on streaming services – meaning that the benefits of a placement can extend far beyond the upfront payment itself. But for Catarey, the placement’s broader significance lies in its ability to help the unique genres in his home country find a larger audience on the global stage.

“My main genre is merengue from the Dominican Republic,” explained Catarey. “I have a very long history of recording, and I’ve been part of major productions over the years. I also fuse my projects with genres like bachata – which is also from the Dominican Republic – and create all types of tropical music. I’m surprised that it’s reaching so many people, but the world needs this type of music to promote happiness and promote being happy.” 

“This one in particular is definitely 100 percent a portfolio builder,” added Mejia, “because it’s new, in a sense, for tropical music that’s so warm. This was such an eye opener for all the artists: be organized and things will work the right way. It’s going to become more common as years go by, but this is a beginning for all those independent artists who are looking for more exposure and looking to open up their portfolio or their music catalog.”

Similarly, Mejia signaled that the placement is indicative of changes in the way that tropical-music artists approach their careers, with sync licensing fundamentally altering the label-creator relationship for the better. 

“With tropical music, everything is in house; the labels usually control everything. They don’t give any space to the artist, even the producer. And what’s happening now, because there are more independent artists like Nicky – who’s an excellent percussionist, a singer, he produces everything – it’s a lot easier for him to have a say in his music,” indicated Mejia, noting that further sync-licensing results (and the aforementioned byproducts of placements) appear poised to drive additional changes and growth yet. 

“More and more people are using mobile devices, and everything has been spiced up,” Mejia told us. “And that means better music revenue in general – double-digit growth overall, mostly on the music-consumption side. Not so much radio, but more digital music, like Apple Music and Spotify. I think licensing has increased – and overall everything’s increased – just because there are more people consuming music all over the world.” 

There’s no telling exactly what the coming months and years will bring for the music industry, but if recent changes and current opportunities are any indication, the future looks bright for creators – like El Swing de Nicky Catarey – who are working to capitalize upon their experience and regional popularity by gaining fans around the globe. One well-timed sync placement has the potential to lay the groundwork for international exposure and success. 

Photo Credit: Mohd Elle

Rodello’s Machine recently scored a VRBO placement through music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr, and the indie duo – consisting of Kolby Knickerbocker and Nathaniel Donnis – sat down with Digital Music News to discuss the deal and their experiences in the quick-growing sync space. 

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here. 

The uplifting acoustics of the San Diego-based act’s “Lila” set a positive mood in a 30-second-long VRBO ad spot, centering on the advantages of using the online marketplace to rent a luxurious beachfront home. Knickerbocker and Donnis co-wrote the track’s meaningful lyrics, but in one of many testaments to the nuanced nature of the contemporary sync landscape, the client opted to utilize only the song’s instrumental portion. 

Notwithstanding the considerable exposure – and substantial paycheck – that the placement delivered, Donnis and Knickerbocker told us that they learned of the deal through a simple email. Like other creators have also indicated, major sync opportunities come to fruition at once, without back-and-forth music-supervisor negotiations, thanks to one-stop platforms like Songtradr – even for those with highly active pitching schedules. 

“We are constantly uploading and working and networking through music supervisors, sync agencies, sync libraries, and even in Songtradr. I’m always pitching,” said Knickerbocker. “Suddenly, we got an email that was like, ‘VRBO licensed your song.’ And I’m like, that’s cool – that wasn’t even on the [Songtradr] dashboard. I had no idea about it. I guess they found us by searching metadata.” 

Becoming aware of sync placements (or their precise details) post-contract is hardly uncommon, the Rodello’s Machine members continued – an especially noteworthy point because the duo has sync-licensing experience both on the exclusive and non-exclusive sides.

“We played that angle [exclusive sync licensing] for a little while, and then we discovered that we wanted to work with other people and not take that risk,” Donnis said of the inherent uncertainty that comes with hunting solely for major placements. 

“So we decided to do non-exclusive agreements only, and then we spread ourselves out and had more of a market-networking effect. And so far, it’s been good because we were able to work with multiple companies,” he continued. “But on the flip side of it, it’s like a placement that’s exclusive, we’d probably set all that stuff [sync details] up. ‘Hey, we got you on this deal and we’re going to do this, and this is when it airs.’”

Knickerbocker, for his part, acknowledged that the pivot towards non-exclusive licensing deals, despite an occasional major placement (like that with VRBO), has brought with it an influx of smaller-scale opportunities in today’s volume-driven entertainment and advertising industries.   

“I give an analogy to my friends who are trying to get into this: You can go hunting for the whale, and if you get the whale you’re amazing. Or you can fish every day, and you’ll feed yourself every single day, but they’re small fish,” he explained. 

“We sort of said we were going to make some revenue, and it’s worked really well because it’s had a double effect of like, it boosted the revenue stream and it’s had a massive marketing effect on our music, the placements we get. We get more placements, we get more fans, we get more placements. It’s just had this – you have a word for it, Nate, what’s that word?” 

“Metcalfe’s law, networking effects,” added Donnis. 

“Metcalfe’s law, the networking effects – and it’s worked,” continued Knickerbocker. “We’ve seen the more placements we get, our Shazams go up, and then we see our Spotify streams go up. And then we see more placements that have this building effect.” 

Moreover, the quick-moving style of creation that lends itself to this approach means that Knickerbocker and Donnis needn’t expend energy attempting to create “hit” songs designed for massive placements. Though they still search for – and secure, as the VRBO agreement shows – such deals occasionally, they chiefly focus on regularly releasing music and enjoying the benefits of the decidedly less competitive non-exclusive sphere. 

“I think the supervisor model, at least from what I’m seeing, it feels like a lot of artists that are starting out, trying to get into the sync game, go for the whale,” said Knickerbocker. “There’s so many supervisors’ agencies getting thousands, I’ve heard from them thousands of emails every day with new songs, and they just can’t go through them. 

“Everyone’s crowding this one little stage, raising their hand like, ‘Please pick me.’ And there’s this whole other world where you can do Musicbed or Songtradr or Artlist on the side, where it’s basically direct-to-consumer where all these little film producers – and big ones too, like VRBO – and these ad creators are like, ‘Hey, I need a song like this, who’s got it?’ And then, you know, there’s hundreds and thousands of those, everyone’s just yelling at them.” 

That a volume-based sync-licensing approach and financial success aren’t mutually exclusive attests to the ongoing evolution of the music landscape – and the additional changes that will arrive in the coming years. 

“It’s less of a feast or famine, it’s less of like a nothing or superstar model right now, especially with what I’ve found with sync licensing,” Knickerbocker said of this evolution. “You don’t have to rely on Spotify, editorial playlists, or the record label – you can actually go into like Songtradr, or Musicbed, Artlist, and these other places where you can get decent music, and you can make a five-figure income every year just from creating good music, which is great. 

“And at least in my book, if you can live off your music, you’ve won the game – you’ve won the music game. That seems like a low bar, but it’s very hard in the music industry, and I think it’s much more possible now, in the last four or five years with these different avenues of smaller but larger-volume sort of revenue streams, to find success,” he finished.  

Photo Credit: Anh Nhat

Ashton Allen’s Future Royalty creative collective just recently scored a major sync placement through music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr. Now, Allen has sat down with Digital Music News to explain how the deal came about and provide advice for creators who are seeking high-profile placements of their own.

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Future Royalty’s “Back In The Game” drove the emotional direction of a spot for Samsung’s “Voices of the Galaxy” series. Featuring Olympic athlete – and, to be sure, the fastest British woman in history – Dina Asher-Smith, the commercial emphasizes that one’s dedication and inner strength serve as the foundation upon which physical achievements are recorded.

Despite the project’s inspiring message and high production value, neither Ashton Allen nor the other music professionals at Future Royalty contributed to its creative specifics. On the contrary – and in a testament to the quick-moving nature of the contemporary sync landscape – the Rock Salt Music CEO learned of the placement opportunity and promptly signed the corresponding contract, in what was the latest deal delivered by a long-running partnership with Songtradr.

“They’ve been a great non-exclusive partnership for us for a number of years. I had a friend who was a part of that organization early on, and it was just a great relationship that built over the years,” Allen told DMN of his professional union with Songtradr.

“This was yet another situation where they delivered a great land for us. We’re constantly creating new content, so I also think that keeps us front of mind for them as well,” he continued.

As mentioned, the process associated with green-lighting the Samsung placement – like the process that preceded composer Eric Dubois’s approving a sync deal with Tazo – was simple and straightforward, Allen indicated. Because Songtradr is fully integrated and many brands utilize the one-stop sync platform, it takes less time than ever for agreements to materialize.

“Really, I had no contact with the post, the editor, or the creative – in a situation like this, it’s one phone call or one email. Then we look at the terms and kind of go like, ‘Sweet.’

“Because generally we’re working on other campaigns too, where we’re fully hands on,” proceeded Allen. “You see the spot – you hope it’s gonna be some nice art piece. Particularly with good messaging, something that’s nice for the portfolio and represents more of what we stand for, which is great messages and positivity.”

Samsung’s commercial about Dina Asher-Smith and the importance of mental fortitude certainly fits the bill, and the clear-cut positivity of Future Royalty’s music has resonated with fans – many of whom have found the group’s music in adverts and continued to listen on Spotify, where the act has north of 150,000 monthly listeners.

“Sometimes when the visibility is really high,” Allen said of sync placements’ broader impact, “we’ll see incredible spikes in our streaming, in the comments on YouTube – any number of things. It’s such a scary and great time to be in the music business because it’s never been more of the Wild West than it is now.

“There’s actually been a decent little fanbase growing from it,” he relayed of Future Royalty. “We’ve kept it pretty faceless and mysterious up until this point, and I think we like it that way. At some point, if we ever had a chance to take it to the next level, and felt like it was warranted to tour or do something on ‘a bigger stage,’ then we’d consider that.”

Needless to say, most every artist is looking to secure sync placements and bolster their presence on streaming services, and as a creator who’s managed to do both simultaneously, Allen appears uniquely qualified to provide valuable advice.

The Rabbit! co-founder emphasized on this front that creativity and outside-the-box thinking – not solely by-the-book planning, networking, and promotion – drive professional results.

“You can do anything – anything. Use the creativity that you use to create songs, infuse that into how you grow your career as a songwriter, as a musician. Because right now there’s never been a better time to do that. There are literally no rules,” he stated. “Like everything that turns out to be the most either profitable or successful, it always seems to start by happy accident or with literally no motive or expectation.

“You’d do anything to get more people to hear your music, and it’s this giant challenge,” he said of young artists, reflecting upon the beginning of his own career in music. “But it’s the things that you’re less tight-fisted about that sometimes seem to take on a life of their own. This [Future Royalty] is one of those situations. It’s been really fun, and it continues to grow as the catalog grows.

“If there’s any part of you that’s playing the victim game or the entitled game,” proceeded the veteran musician, “just drop it. You’re never gonna get where you want to go. Take responsibility and understand that you can create your future and you can create a path for yourself in this industry. You can use the creativity that innately drew you to being a music creator to find a way to make it work. And then rinse and repeat.”

That Allen has recorded noteworthy career accomplishments for decades running – with significant opportunities, like the Samsung placement, continuing to pour in – attests to the upside of prioritizing originality and one’s creative interests while pursuing professional success. Even as technology continues to revolutionize the way that fans enjoy music and brands license tracks, there’s something to be said for taking chances and embracing the inherent uncertainty that comes with innovation.

“I think it’s important to spend time – spend real time – unearthing and discovering what you’re best at, and also, what your purpose might be,” finished Allen. “I think that’s when the most magical stuff happens.”

Composer Eric Dubois scored a major placement via music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr. Photo Credit: Debby Hudson

Composer Eric Dubois recently landed a sync deal for a TAZO Tea Company commercial (featuring singer-songwriter SZA) after company higher-ups found his work on music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr. Now, Dubois has shed light on the process and his advice for fellow creators who are looking to secure placements of their own.

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Digital Music News sat down with the Paris-born composer and producer to discuss the high-profile placement – which Dubois learned of from a friend, in a testament to the quick-moving nature of sync deals in the contemporary music landscape.

“I didn’t hear anything back from them until a friend of mine saw the Instagram video and sent it to me,” the Ewa Beach, Hawaii, resident Dubois told DMN. “So I didn’t even know that it came out, and the check came in maybe a few months later.”

Needless to say, the one-stop sync licenses delivered by full-service platforms like Songtradr make it easier for prominent clients (many well-known companies among them) to find and use music that fits their professional vision. On the creator side as well as the client side, there’s less negotiation, less uncertainty, and decidedly fewer licensing-related headaches.

And by making an extensive library of easy-to-license music available to potentially interested parties, creators are setting the stage for sync success – even if it’s difficult to predict when exactly major opportunities like the TAZO spot will come to fruition. To be sure, Dubois created and uploaded the track to Songtradr a full three years before the placement came about.

Dubois also acknowledged that the deal didn’t usher in a material uptick in sync agreements, but emphasized the importance of remaining consistent amid the inherent ebb and flow of crafting music for media.

“So far, nothing – which is normal, because I’ve had those ups and downs so many times throughout my career,” Dubois said of the post-placement plateau. “I didn’t get anything specific afterwards, it’s just time to move on and think of the other projects. This is kind of how I work, I just make songs and put them up on Songtradr.

“TV and sync placements and licensing – it’s a very different business than placements with artists, for example. Songtradr has a good way of making it easy for us. As long as we upload it correctly – and as long as we put in all the metadata, all the keywords, all the hashtags, everything that needs to be said so that your song can be discovered on the platform – that’s the most important part.

“Then, it’s just keep uploading and keep being consistent making music. Because it’s a numbers game; the more songs you get out there, the more chances you have to get placed,” he concluded.

Moreover, Dubois stressed that the benefits of the TAZO placement extend well beyond the monetary compensation he received, underscoring the role that the corresponding advert will play in the long term as he looks to license his music in other visual media.

“That placement is definitely going in my portfolio, and it’s going to help me out when I’m pitching to other sync agents or other companies,” he told DMN. “It gave me the confidence and just gave me the energy to keep going – the idea that I’m on the right track, I’m doing well. I’m not overthinking, it’s time to do what I want to do. And then someone out there is gonna like it. There’s not too much thinking involved.

“When it comes to TV and sync licensing, some people get too much in their heads about the music. And it is important to have a good ending, it is important to have, you know, different transitions. There are some technicalities that artists can get into.

“But I try never to base it on that, otherwise that breaks the creative flow. If the vibe is good, then that’s perfect. That placement just confirmed that I’m doing the right things,” explained the EDP-Beats founder.

Building upon the point, Dubois pointed to the skill-related perks of regularly releasing music and reiterated the far-reaching advantages of patience.

“It’s been five years I’ve been doing it [creating music] full time. And now things are starting to roll up, and I’m starting to get a lot more calls,” he said. “Be consistent and be patient. Because it takes time, but if you show your face, if you show up every day, you know, the more songs you get out there, the more chances you have.

“I’m on maybe 10 different websites that are like Songtradr. So far, Songtradr has been the one that’s been getting me the most placements. So I’m sticking to them and I’m putting more energy into them. But there’s no really – it’s patience. There’s really no trick or anything like that.”

Dubois – who also offers artist-development and mixing and mastering services – likewise disclosed that he optimizes the discoverability of his work by describing tracks with adjectives that music supervisors search for when selecting songs, as opposed to the keywords that musicians typically utilize.

“They want a lot of emotions, they’re looking for a feeling, they’re looking for a vibe. So those are the type of keywords you want to put in instead of just ‘acoustic guitar’ or things like that. You’ve got to be really descriptive – and very specific. Don’t just say it’s a hip-hop song when you know that there’s trap and that there are so many different styles of hip-hop,” he indicated.

Lastly, the producer and composer made clear that he dedicates a substantial portion of his time to the business side of the industry – and specified that doing so is an integral ingredient in the recipe for professional success.

“You really need to have both caps on. You have to do the business and the creative side. I make music – maybe 20 percent of my time is having fun playing guitars, recording songs. And then 80 percent of the time it’s sending out emails, and writing in the keywords, and uploading the songs here. There’s a lot of business going on, and you have to be ready for it. You have to love the game.”

The smart-exercise revolution — and its emphasis on music — appears poised to continue even as fitness enthusiasts resume their normal routines. Photo Credit: Jonathan Borba

As exercisers traded their gym memberships for at-home workout solutions during the pandemic, the fitness sector experienced unprecedented growth and far-reaching changes. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these changes, however, was the industry-wide embrace of music – and the associated career opportunities for creators. 

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

U.S. health club revenues suffered a 58 percent year-over-year dip in 2020 due to widespread lockdown measures and COVID-related restrictions, according to the IHRSA. At the same time, though, the home fitness equipment industry enjoyed double-digit growth, and sources have forecasted that the sector’s market size will further improve from over $10 billion in 2020 to $14.74 billion in 2028. 

Predictably, the latter figure represents relatively modest growth (compared to that of 2020) for the home fitness equipment sphere, as gyms seem poised to reopen and regain their financial footing. But that doesn’t mean fitness apps – and the companies behind them – will disappear. 

On the contrary, the pandemic-prompted boost to “smart” exercise equipment, cutting-edge apps, and interactive health solutions seems set to have a lasting impact on workouts in the gym and at home – even if the scope changes slightly as normal routines resume. 

“We believe this space will continue to grow and augment brick-and-mortar businesses,” music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr’s Director of Partnerships, Chris Strickland, and SVP of Global Platform Sales, Nick Woollard, told Digital Music News.

“Having made the investment, we believe many business owners recognize the importance of diverse revenue streams and customer relationships that are less geographically dependent. As people start leaving their homes again, we do anticipate a shift away from live classes to a more video-on-demand offering,” the sync professionals continued.  

And for indie artists, the space will still encompass potentially career-changing licensing opportunities, as music plays a key role in cutting-edge workouts and remains a major area of focus for fitness-app developers and exercise-equipment companies. 

Decidedly expensive licensing woes in the rearview, Peloton inked a series of notable direct deals in 2020 – including enlisting Chromeo, Big Boi, and Dillon Francis to record Elvis remixes – and finalized a years-long partnership with Triller’s Verzuz in late March of this year. 

Similarly, Endeavor’s Ultimate Fighting Championship last year debuted a dedicated streaming platform, UFC Ultimate Sound – built with the support of Tuned Global, which has quietly provided app-development services to an array of high-profile clients – whereas Arcade Fire created a 45-minute-long track in April of 2021 for meditation and exercise app Headspace. 

In short, all manner of fitness apps and home exercise equipment manufacturers are continuing to leverage music to solidify their market positioning, attract new followers, and deliver the best possible workout experiences. As mentioned, this means that creators – and particularly indie creators – have more chances to secure the paychecks and exposure that come with placements in today’s decidedly personalized fitness sphere. 

To be sure, Songtradr has seen a roughly 500 percent uptick in workout-related projects during the last year, Strickland and Woollard told DMN, with a clear-cut emphasis on and preference for independent music. 

“We’ve definitely recognized a growing focus on independent music,” Strickland and Woollard said. “Many platforms are using music to stand out from the competition, and the flexibility and cost effectiveness offered by independent catalogs and intermediaries like Songtradr are major selling points as well.” 

On this front, to the advantage of artists and clients alike, Songtradr can promptly provide carefully curated (and fully licensed) playlists for fitness apps. Needless to say, for professionals who’re looking to add music sooner rather than later – while avoiding the legal headaches and expenses associated with licensing shortcuts – the benefit can prove decidedly appealing. 

There’s something to be said, the Songtradr higher-ups continued, for operating in the space between pricey commercial music (which clients are unable to tailor) and wholly accessible (but decidedly less effective) stock music. The point aids clients as well as artists, who have a better chance of introducing their music to high-engagement micro-communities within the fitness world. 

“A lot of clients are working with us because they have to choose between expensive and inflexible commercial music on one side and the limited creative choice of stock music catalogs on the other,” explained Strickland and Woollard. 

“Songtradr exists between these two points, and our fitness and wellness clients tell us that they love the combination of authentic global music that resonates with their audiences and the value and flexibility offered by our licensing terms,” they concluded. 

With continued opportunities available to creators – and further industry growth seemingly on the horizon – the fitness sector’s future looks promising. Especially considering the comprehensive changes delivered by recent years, artists stand to gain from following and capitalizing upon the space moving forward. 

Photo Credit: Kadyn Pierce

Twitch has a DMCA strike policy problem because it refuses to license music. You can avoid DMCA strikes by only using Twitch-safe music – here’s how.

The following DMCA Twitch survival guide was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

When Metallica’s live performance for BlizzCon was streamed on Twitch and replaced with some royalty-free MIDI music, it became obvious that Twitch has a music licensing problem. The Amazon-owned platform refuses to sign a music licensing agreement with the Big Three major labels (Sony, Universal, Warner), leaving streamers in a challenging position.

Music is an important part of setting the mood of a multi-hour stream. Streamers who make a living from the hobby regularly organize 8 to 12-hour streams a day. Keeping the music fresh while staying within the rigid Twitch DMCA policy is a near-impossible task. It would require each streamer to contact every single label for the artists they want to feature to obtain permission to use those tracks.

After the huge DMCA Strike that hit Twitch last year, the platform has been modifying how it deals with the issue. DMCA notices appear as Twitch notifications, and Twitch says it’s making it easier to delete VOD clips that are in violation of Twitch’s non-existent music license.

But you can avoid Twitch DMCA strikes by playing music that is pre-cleared with labels. That’s where a service like Pretzel comes in.

The team behind Pretzel has built a complex system called Fawkes that sorts out music rights issues. Labels can add their music to the Pretzel catalog for Twitch streamers to use, and artists get paid directly. All of the music is guaranteed to be DMCA strike safe on Twitch.

Digital Music News spoke with Pretzel founder and CEO Nate Beck about the platform. He shared some major insights into how Pretzel helps artists get paid and helps streamers avoid DMCA strikes on Twitch.

“Has there ever been a reported DMCA strike received on Twitch by a streamer playing music through Pretzel?,” I asked early in our conversation. “No, never,” Beck replied, laughing. “It’s just not possible because of how we’ve designed the Fawkes system. The only compositions that are available to stream have had their rights cleared already.”

Sorting out music rights and selling it as a subscription service to streamers is a hard sell. But it shouldn’t be.

Pretzel has a free tier and a paid tier that costs $14.99/month. The free tier has a few limits, like mandatory chat attribution, and some labels are only available on a premium subscription. Building a custom playlist also requires forking over some cash.

But Pretzel is focused on making sure artists are paid out of that subscription fee. 70% of all net membership revenue is paid directly to artists as royalties. Net membership revenue means after all payment processing fees are removed. Here’s the breakdown Pretzel provides:

• • $0.73 — Payment Processor
  • $9.98 — Artists
  • $4.28 — Pretzel

Pretzel works directly with several indie distributors to keep its streaming music Twitch safe. Artists who work with any of the following distributors can have their music appear on Twitch to be safe for streamers to use.

How Pretzel Benefits Streamers & Artists

Pretzel is aiming to create a system in which artists get paid by the streamers who enjoy their music. That’s a fair, equitable system that must be built from the bottom-up – something that has taken Beck and his team six years to perfect. With 360,000 Twitch-safe tracks in the Fawkes system – there are still three million to process.

“I’m not a music guy,” Beck chuckles, telling me about how the business got started. “My business partner is a Twitch streamer. We love streaming; we love solving problems. So we picked music as the first thing to solve [for streamers]. But six years later, we’re just getting started,” Beck says, and I can hear the smile in his voice. He seems genuine and passionate about helping streamers avoid the headaches of navigating a space that feels like a virtual land minefield.

Pretzel allows streamers to earn money from the music they’re using to set a mood while compensating everyone involved. Everyone involved in the creation process is fairly compensated and streamers avoid DMCA strikes with the click of a button. The thumbs up, thumbs down system works to curate tracks, so streamers and viewers can curate music together.

Even the Pretzel free tier can help drive traffic to artists who are featured. The manual chat attribution means anyone who is listening can click the link provided to hear more. Pretzel drives traffic to Spotify, Deezer, Tidal, Apple Music – whichever streaming service you prefer. The Song Requests feature also allows viewers to pay to have a song played by a Twitch streamer using Pretzel. 70% of the money spent on requesting the song also goes to the artist or rights holder.

Music has always played a key part in bringing film to life and making scenes as engaging – and memorable – as possible. From driving adrenaline-pumping battle sequences to complementing tear-jerking endings and everything in between, songs help movies to resonate with viewers for all the right reasons. 

The following look at film licensing trends was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

And for creators, the streaming-fueled uptick in visual-media production means that there are more opportunities to secure lucrative (and potentially career-changing) placements than ever before. As artists and composers look to capitalize on these opportunities, it goes without saying that they stand to benefit from understanding the sync licensing trends that are defining the industry. 

Here’s an in-depth look at the film space’s most noteworthy sync licensing trends of 2021, based on a detailed breakdown from Ramesh Sathiah, Partner and Creative Director of music and sound design company Song Zu.

1. Less Is More – Paired-Back Textual Scores Are on the Rise

A growing collection of composers (and music supervisors, with regard to songs) are demonstrating a clear-cut preference for subtle, paired-back textual scores, as opposed to more built-up and technically multifaceted pieces.  

Soft piano, violin, viola, and cello notes set the mood in Nomadland, which was composed by Ludovico Einaudi (from his previous albums) and took home a Golden Globe for “Best Motion Picture – Drama” and the “Best Picture” Oscar, for instance. 

Similarly, The Father – also composed by Einaudi and nominated for a “Best Motion Picture – Drama” Golden Globe and “Best Picture” Oscar – encompasses a classic, string- and piano-driven score, along with opera tracks on the licensed-music front.

2. Orchestral Renditions of Throwback Hits Continue to Make a Splash

Orchestral arrangements of yesterday’s most popular songs regularly appear in film today. Produced by Margot Robbie and composed by Anthony Willis, the critically well-received Promising Young Woman (yet another “Best Motion Picture – Drama” Golden Globe and “Best Picture” Oscar nominee) features a string version of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” (2003). 

Additionally, Michael Andrews, the composer behind Judd Apatow’s The King of Staten Island, enlisted a string quartet to cover the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Scar Tissue” (1999) – making clear that quality music will have a place in movies regardless of its age and precise form.

3. Licensed Music Focuses Upon Nostalgia – and Old Soul Music in Particular

Due to natural creative inclinations (and quite possibly a pandemic-prompted desire to reflect upon simpler times), sync licensing trends are pushing nostalgia-heavy tracks to the forefront of movies’ licensed-music offerings.

To be sure, Sound of Metal (which arguably relies upon music to tell its story more than any other listed film) boasts The Commodores’ soulful classic “This Love” as well as “Careless Love” from blues legend Bessie Smith, and Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods (which received an Oscar nomination for its Terence Blanchard-crafted score) licensed Marvin Gaye tracks including “What’s Happening Brother,” “Wholy Holy,” and “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler).” 

Importantly, though, nostalgic songs needn’t be old, as H.E.R. proved by releasing the Oscar-winning (for “Best Original Song”) “Fight for You” for Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah. While the upbeat, hopeful effort debuted in February of this year, the influence from ‘60s and ‘70s soul mainstays like Gaye is apparent.

4. COVID Restrictions and Precautions Spur Pivot to Smaller Orchestras – and Fewer Instruments

The score-production process changed dramatically amid the pandemic, as both COVID restrictions (caps on the number of musicians that studios could simultaneously accommodate among them) and safety-minded precautions spurred a pivot away from large orchestras and towards smaller ensembles. 

Many musicians received mic kits so that they could record their parts at home, and as proven by works including the aforementioned all-string rendition of “Toxic” in Promising Young Woman, the pandemic impacted the creative and practical sides of the scoring and placement processes.

5. Prescores, In Spite of Creative Pitfalls, Remain Common

In spite of their potential pitfalls – namely that the music at hand might not suit the film, in the director’s view – prescores (or those which are created before or while a movie is shot) remain common. 

But as many of 2021’s other sync licensing trends emphasize customization and personalization, it’s possible that prescores could become less prevalent in the approaching years.

6. Original Protest Tracks Take Center Stage

In one of the visual-media sphere’s especially noteworthy sync licensing trends, protest tracks – and, significantly, original songs – are taking center stage. 

Besides the previously noted “Fight for You” in Judas and the Black Messiah, Celeste recorded three songs (the most popular being “Hear My Voice”) for The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Leslie Odom Jr. co-wrote the Oscar-nominated “Speak Now” with Sam Ashworth for One Night In Miami.

7. Don’t Call It a Comeback: Ancient Instruments Return to the Silver Screen

As part of an overarching effort to diversify films’ music and help scenes to strike the perfect emotional tones, composers are utilizing ancient instruments, while some music supervisors are seeking out songs featuring seldom-used instruments.   

Though Benjamin Franklin’s glass armonica has yet to resurface in on-screen music, Da 5 Bloods’ music features multiple ancient instruments, and the James Newton Howard-composed  News of the World (which received an Oscar nomination for “Best Original Score”) tapped the viola d’amore and the viola da gamba to create less expression and convey a more drone-like tone.

8. Licensed Tracks, Diegetic Music, and Original Songs Are Bleeding Into Scores

Gone are the days of film scores’ standing entirely on their own, in many instances, as today’s quick-moving movies commonly fuse licensed tracks, diegetic music, and original songs alike, to create a more cohesive final product that perfectly captures the director’s vision. 

Consequently, composers and supervisors are beginning to factor not only for how music will bode for a movie, but how it will mesh with the movie’s other audio components.

9. The Rise of Historical Films Brings the Rise of Soundtracks Influenced by Different Eras

Predictably, the industry-wide rise of historical films and period pieces – such as The Trial of the Chicago Seven (set in the late 1960s), the six-time Golden Globe and 10-time Oscar nominee Mank (set in the 1930s and 1940s), and more – has brought with it the rise of soundtracks influenced by different eras. 

Because contemporary creators like H.E.R. can draw from a century of rich musical history while conceiving unique ideas – and using cutting-edge technology to bring multifaceted works to life – the future of songs in film looks brighter than ever.

10. Vocalists Are Being Cast to Emote Protagonists in Scores

Film professionals are casting vocalists to emote films’ protagonists in scores – adding another layer to movies’ appeal and making it easier for viewers to connect with and relate to characters as well as works themselves. 

Promising Young Woman and Birds of Prey may demonstrate the development best, in terms of recent releases, and it’ll be worth watching how this – one of the most nuanced sync licensing trends of 2021 – impacts plot-driven projects moving forward.

11. Comic-Book Movies and Action Blockbusters Still Prefer Epic Orchestral Themes

Despite these sync licensing trends and the difficulties presented by the pandemic, comic-book movies and action blockbusters are continuing to keep viewers on the edge of their seats with epic orchestral themes. 

In many ways, Hans Zimmer is the genre, and a collection of widely appealing box-office successes have forgone melody in favor of strong chord progressions and ostinatos.

12. Reboots Reimagine Themes and Songs From Original Films

Lastly, reboots – like Mortal Kombat (the original movie released in 1995), Mulan (the original came out in 1998), and Wonder Woman 1984 – are reimagining themes and songs from their initial iterations, with an emphasis on comparatively fresh music. 

The point, though perhaps obvious, bears reiterating at a time when modern takes on old concepts are particularly popular; artists and composers could secure the opportunity to develop music for the very characters and works that captivated their imagination as children and young adults. 

The big dogs at Big Sync Music: Music Supervisor Lisa James (l) and Director, Client Services Alex Menck (photos: Big Sync Music)

What are the emerging trends in sync music this year? We asked two of the music industry’s leading music supervisors to relay some stories from the front lines.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Once the bastard stepchild of the music industry, sync music is now a surging and highly lucrative area of the business. Part of that expansion comes from exploding demand for music from heavyweight content creators like Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video. But advertising has been spreading across different screens for more than a decade, while UGC content remains a universe of its own.

Sprinkle Hollywood films and dozens of well-endowed investors and startups on top of that, and you have a sub-industry that’s blowing up. But what are the trends happening in sync this year? For a taste of that, we asked the duo of Lisa James and Alex Menck, who are Music Supervisor and Director, Client Services at Big Sync Music, respectively.

Here’s a taste of what they’re seeing out there.

Are there any trends you’re seeing in 2021 sync placements or commissions, in terms of genres or specific styles?’

Lisa: It’s very rare that a creative idea is born off the back of a track. Therefore, sync placements are usually dictated firstly by the creative followed shortly by the budget. There will always be a marketplace for our big superstars, but recently I’ve found with budget restrictions off of the back of what’s been a hard year for a lot of brands, we’re seeing more interest in up-and-coming artists.

Alex: I agree with Lisa, but just in case you’re looking for specific names, I’ve received more than one Lizzo and Dua Lipa reference. Upbeat, positive, female energy with attitude has been the trend in the last couple of years.

If you were a composer or musician and looking to increase sync placements in 2021 (and beyond), are there any styles or types of media that seem to be getting the most placements or having the most success?

Lisa: Authenticity is always key. I would never recommend changing your style to increase sync placements.  I personally prefer working with musicians and composers who are experts in their field rather than a trick of all trades.

Alex: Again, Lisa is spot on. I would just add that it is also very important that the composer understands the storyteller’s need for editing options with breaks, crescendos, a variety of sounds, and moments within a single track. The instrumental version has to be as entertaining as the original vocal version of the song.

“I’ve received more than one Lizzo and Dua Lipa reference. Upbeat, positive, female energy with attitude has been the trend in the last couple of years.”

Are there certain types of music — including genres or even instrumentation choices — that seem to get placed year after year?

Lisa: There will always be a place for percussive driven tracks in the advertising sector. It crosses over all territories and all content. Percussion is so versatile; you can dial up or dial down the delivery, tempo, and style of this, which is why it’s a trend we see year on year.

Alex: Percussive tracks and soul music. Positive urban beats have also been often requested.

Finding the right piece of music to accompany a visual is an essential part of any filmmaking process.

The following was created in collaboration with Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

It’s why music supervisors — as subject matter experts — play a crucial role in the advertising and motion picture industries. Because interpreting a music brief takes experience and skill. And while there are numerous considerations, one of the first is whether to license an existing song or follow other film producers and creative agencies and engage a composer to create something custom.

If you choose this route, understanding how custom compositions work will help immensely.

We have access to the most extensive catalog of pre-cleared, authentic music from artists, but this doesn’t cover every soundtracking need. That’s why we also work with a network of 200+ talented composers who can nail the right sound for your project.

Here are some custom compositions that yielded great results

Tanqueray Gin’s “Since 1830” campaign, which the team at Big Sync Music created with WMP Studios in the UK, is an excellent example of how a custom composition process can work. In the episode, Songtradr SyncTalk with Music Supervisor Lisa James, we learn how the project took shape, the unique ‘Droste effect’ technique used in the production, and how the music was subsequently matched with the visual approach.

This creatively-inspired commercial for SheaMoisture’s “It Comes Naturally” campaign needed music that aligned with the brand’s vision, which had been carefully laid out in previous campaign spots. The commercial celebrated Black identity, inspiring our composers to deliver a fresh piece that tip-toed between jazz and soul music.

And this commercial for Radox Mineral Therapy shows how music can magnify other visual elements. The spot features a woman relaxing in a steam-filled bubble bath, where the composer has made great use of natural hot spring sounds and ambient textures to deliver a soft and cinematic arrangement.

Now let’s delve a little deeper and explore how a custom composition can benefit your project.

Why might you choose a custom composition, instead of a pre-existing song?

Many of the top movies, TV shows, and commercials use music as a narration tool to set the tone and mood of the visual. There are multiple ways to approach this — it can be inspired by preexisting music or a completely new composition designed to mimic the contours of your content – but best of all, it will:

• • weave between and stay out of the way of your dialog,
  • match and enhance the emotion in each scene, and
  • set the mood and style for your visual.

Here are some things to consider when going down the custom compositions route

Music isn’t always the star in every spot; it will often play a supportive but crucial role in defining your message. Sharing specific information on the music’s role from the outset will determine how composers approach your brief. Delivery deadlines, budget, and where the final content will live are all important considerations as well. Is this an ad designed for online platforms or social media only, or will it be broadcast on networks and across multiple territories?

Get to know the brand – intimately

If you’re licensing music for a commercial, it’s crucial to align with your brand’s messaging early on so you can accurately communicate this to the composer. Answering these three questions will help you get the best results:

• • What are your brand’s core values?
    • If sustainability is key to your brand, you might want to use ‘earthy’ instrumental music in your ad.

• • Who is your target audience?
    • Are you selling sneakers? Hip-hop or beat-driven music might enhance the energetic, upbeat nature of the product.

• • Where is the campaign going to be placed, and how will this impact the music?
    • If the ad will live on Instagram, a track that would work as a quick 30-second pop track might be all you need.

You might also gain valuable insight from researching music from any past, especially successful, campaign spots. This will avoid repetition and help ensure you don’t receive off-brand or off-brief compositions.

Gather references that communicate your vision

Technology can be your best friend if you let it. Put together audio and visual ‘mood boards’ — whether it be a playlist, links to sites, or content with sounds and tracks you like. The composer will do their best to translate any verbal cues you give, but Spotify or YouTube links, MP3s, and video clips might communicate your vision more effectively.

Get the right music for your project

Learn More

Top image courtesy of Songtradr.

Photo Credit: Thomas Serer

A number of artists are scoring paychecks – and potentially career-changing exposure – from film, television, and video-game sync placements. But according to one veteran music supervisor, it’s also possible for creators to make money (and connect with fans) by writing music for sports.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Former Sky TV senior music supervisor Justin “Commie” McMullen shed light upon the nuances of writing music for sports and, on the other side, selecting songs for much-anticipated games, high-octane promos, and more, in a recent interview.

Early in the roughly 45-minute-long sit down, the Cuesongs director of music described the sporting events and media that behind-the-scenes professionals most closely focus on when looking for suitable tracks.

“For broadcast, certainly at Sky, there was a lot, you know? Because you have all the different sports, you have all the different types of programming,” said Commie. “Generally, the effort goes into the matches. Or the promos for the matches, or the big cut this summer, the big season launches. I mean, the season launches for Premier League were always the biggest musical ticket to win.”

This information could prove useful to creators as they write and record music for sports, build relationships with music supervisors, and time their releases and submissions so as to maximize the chances of placement success. In terms of the latter, McMullen emphasized the song-selection process’s many moving parts.

“The producers would come in on Monday or Tuesday and say, ‘Right, this is sort of the editorial story. Can you come up with some suggestions?’ Or they would know what they want. And then you had a separate promos department who were thinking a month ahead, saying, ‘Right, this is what’s coming up. We need some music to convey this message,’” he continued.

“Musically it could be anything. But always energy,” he said of the type of music that sports-broadcast professionals select.  

“Certainly with promos, sports promos, all types of promos and trailers, they work on that levels basis. It has to have range, and it has to go from down there, to up there, to drop a bit, to go back to sort of the big finish.”

But in a noteworthy contrast to the songs that music supervisors select for film, television, and video games, Commie specified that sports producers prioritize suitability over popularity.

“I think sports producers are less driven by having the next big thing or being particularly sort of clever or artistic. I think they want something that sticks editorially,” he stated.

Besides offering placement opportunities to up-and-coming artists and established acts alike, sporting events and content also differ from film, television, and gaming sync in that they don’t require artists to associate themselves with a particular brand or project.

“It was just something that wasn’t controversial,” Commie said when explaining artists’ clear-cut willingness to have their music paired with games and promos. “You’re not associating yourself with a brand. You weren’t putting yourself behind a product.”

Bearing these points in mind – sports placements reach broad audiences, are available for any stylistically well-matched music, and are typically free of usage-related headaches – McMullen disclosed some advice for composers who’re looking to secure paychecks (and possibly earn a living) by writing music for sports.

“If you’re a composer, a lot of the broadcasters are now creating their own music libraries. So if you’re more of a composer, I guess you can approach them and then pitch yourself to work. The terms aren’t often great, but it’s a way to certainly get in and get your music – if you’re looking to just go, ‘I got my music on the football,’ then as a composer that’s the best way to do it.

“And the other thing is I guess make friends, go on LinkedIn and try to make friends with people who’re producers on football shows. I know of a few artists, actually – and I won’t name them, because they’d kill me. But I know of a few artists who have kind of gone down that route. It can be done,” he finished.

Lastly, in describing which tools he believes sports-focused music supervisors should have at their disposal, Commie effectively summed up the ways that creators can craft the perfect music for placements.

“Don’t overcomplicate it,” said McMullen. “You think very much, generally with sport, you think in the box. … It just has to bang.

“You’ve got to love sport, and you’ve got to understand what makes it work,” concluded the 20-year industry veteran.

Photo Credit: Heshan Perera

So what’s the best way to win at live streaming? During a recent Zoom event, three talented musicians shared useful tips on how you can connect with virtual audiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Artist and label owner José James, Brooklyn-based musician Miette Hope, and veteran singer-songwriter Craig Cardiff offered invaluable advice on live streaming throughout a recent Songtradr-hosted panel, “Finding Your Virtual Audience.”

1. Avoid Overbooking Live Streaming Concerts

Early in the discussion, Juno Award nominee Craig Cardiff indicated that while entertaining fans with remote shows is a great way to stay active and foster stronger connections, it’s entirely possible to provide too much free content. In effect, the market oversaturation brought on by an influx of live stream gigs – for there are only so many hours in the day – serves to reduce sets’ reach and appeal to virtual audiences.

“I think too many of us have given too much away for free during this. Like with, you know, the amount of live performances. And I’m guilty of it,” said Cardiff, who signed with Canada’s True North Records this year and is preparing to release an album entitled All This Time Running.

“At the beginning [of the pandemic] I started a ‘live from everywhere’ that I did every night for an hour, a half an hour to an hour,” continued the Waterloo-born creator. “And I loved doing it because it gave me a focus and I missed touring so much. But eventually I kind of burnt out on it. I don’t know if it was expanding anything – I think it was too much. Too much too often.

“I would have been better off to like give a more focused, spread-out experience. A more curated experience, with like interviews or whatever.”

A smaller number of (possibly longer) remote concerts could also amplify results while preventing both musicians and virtual audiences from experiencing burnout.

2. Take Advantage of the Pause to Craft New Material

José James, for his part, relayed that he’s capitalizing upon the traditional-concert pause to create new music as well as new media, which are likely to attract and engage fans in both the short and long terms.

Fresh songs and material will draw viewers to live streams – and, once the pandemic is in the rearview, to in-person shows. Moreover, the chance to affordably capture gigs at venues (and unique settings that’re well-suited for filming) won’t last forever.

“Now that I have the ability to release music — whatever I want whenever I want, at a high level,” said the former major-label artist and current Rainbow Blonde owner James, “I’m taking advantage of that.

“When we did our live shows, we rented [Woodstock, New York venue] Levon Helm and we produced a live stream concert there for myself and my label partner and co-artist on the label Taali. So we had seven cameras film and chopped it all up. We just literally got the masters two days ago from the mastering engineer, and we’re feeling really good about it.

“We have now like a full double album with a music video, basically live from Levon Helm, for every track,” finished James.

3. Target Different Virtual Audiences With Different Types of Performances

Expanding on the latter point, James noted that he doesn’t solely capture live sets from high-profile venues. Instead, “The Greater Good” artist entertains his existing fans – and specifically those who’ve subscribed to his Patreon account – with more intimate and spontaneous performances from home, while also appealing to new virtual audiences yet with sets like that from Levon Helm.

“The main difference if I’m being honest is the venue,” said James, speaking of what most affects energy when playing. “I do shows, solo shows, for my Patreon. At home. And that’s cool because I know everybody who’s in the community. And that makes me feel like warm and friendly because it’s not strangers.

“But when we went to Levon Helm and later to [New York City venue] (Le) Poisson Rouge, it’s in a club. It’s in a place that you know, the sound is great. And we just played off of each other.

“And I guess it’s just like a mindset of getting into. Like, you know what, I have this platform right now. I can deliver the best of my artistry with this community, and I’m gonna do it to the – I mean, it’s different. I’m not gonna lie, it’s different. But we still found a way to really push,” James stated.

4. Make the Most of Live Streaming – Even Though It’s a Less-Than-Ideal Substitute for In-Person Shows

Towards the discussion’s conclusion, Miette Hope recognized that it can be difficult to connect with virtual audiences – or, more precisely, to establish the same connection as you would during in-person shows.

“Performing to a screen is really challenging,” said Hope, who also releases music as The Natural Synthetic with her frequent collaborator Ariza. “It’s hard to just banter the same way and just kind of – without the interaction and the faces in front of you, it’s definitely challenging.”

Nevertheless, the 24-year-old “Oxygen” singer acknowledged that despite their faults and limitations, today’s digital tools have – and are – enabling her to remotely reach fans, from all across the country and the world, during a trying period.

“At the same time, I always have to go back to the gratitude for all of our abilities to access these tools,” said Hope. “If I didn’t have any way of connecting with my fans, I wouldn’t even have the chance to complain about live streams not being gratifying or validating enough for me as an artist.

“Any opportunity to connect with the listeners is valuable, for sure,” said Hope.

And in addition to proving immediately beneficial for both musicians and viewers, live stream performances appear poised to bolster interest in traditional gigs once they resume.

Photo Credit: Hunters Race

If you want to learn how to make it in the music industry, one way is to talk to people who have already made it. During a recent livestream event, sync licensing platform Songtradr invited two successful music industry professionals to discuss their unique paths to career success.

The remote sitdown’s first guest, eminent music supervisor Janet Lopez, has worked on hit television shows like Game of Thrones and Utopia. Joining the 14-year Neophonic veteran to analyze the contemporary music business was Amanda Schupf, with Songtradr executive Victoria Wiltshire conducting the interview. Prior to founding MAX, a boutique music management company, Schupf accumulated over 15 years of publishing experience.

Throughout the discussion, the trio offered invaluable tips on how to make it in the music industry. So what were the most important takeaways?

1. Learn the Industry, Make Connections, and Think Long-Term

Though their respective careers and roads to prominence differ, both Lopez and Schupf emphasized throughout the livestream that they work hard and strive for professional results in everything that they do.

Lopez became interested in music supervision at a young age – before she even understood exactly what the field involved – and proceeded to seek out a wide variety of pertinent knowledge in an effort to equip herself with the tools required to perform optimally on the job.

“I feel like I needed to educate myself in all areas, anything that touched music supervision,” the Cal State grad said. “Whether it was great artists that are signed to a major label, to indie, to writer splits, to how California copyright law works.”

This pursuit of information and insight prompted Lopez to forge relationships with well-established supervisors, and the resulting observations helped lay the groundwork for her aforementioned 14-year run (and counting) at Neophonic.

2. Embrace the Creative Side of the Industry

Schupf, for her part, stressed just how essential it is for success-minded music industry professionals to understand the creative side (and, inversely, for artists to grasp the business side).

“I love the business just as much as I love the creative,” said the NYU School of Professional Studies alumnus, who earned a master’s degree in music technology. “And I don’t shy away from it, and I think it’s really important to educate yourself – as a creative, like as a music supervisor you’re being creative, you’re providing music for visuals, which is a highly creative thing to do.

“But also knowing all the laws and knowing all the business and being able to negotiate the deals I think is extremely important. And I always encourage my clients to also know their own business and read their own deals and be involved in all their negotiations even if they have teams of managers and lawyers and other executives around them,” stated Schupf.

Significantly, the advice will help artists to avoid the contractual pitfalls that have caused other creators so many problems. And behind-the-scenes professionals can unlock greater career opportunities for themselves and their clients by embracing the creative side, per the longtime music publishing expert Schupf.

3. Don’t Hesitate to Voice Concerns

Schupf relayed during the Happy Hour that she’d sometimes failed to voice professional concerns and offer constructive criticism early on in her career, while she had genuine qualms about the matters at hand. The business owner has since overcome the hesitancy, however, and now encourages rising music industry professionals to speak their minds.

“One mistake I made involving what ended up being a loss of money was being too scared to ruffle the waters of a preexisting relationship that I was new to. And so, allowing somebody else on the team to dictate how we handled something even though I viscerally disagreed with it but felt it wasn’t my place to, you know, voice my opinion at that time because I was newish.

“And that’s something that I carry with me and always encourage people to speak up,” continued Schupf, before host Victoria Wiltshire noted that an automatic willingness to express reservations comes with time and experience.

4. Take Yourself – and Your Career – Seriously

Towards the discussion’s conclusion, Janet Lopez disclosed advice specifically for those who are thinking about how to make it in the music industry. Most notably, the esteemed music supervisor stated that taking yourself and your career seriously makes it harder to quit and, just as consequentially, sets the stage for results.

“Take yourself seriously, because it’ll be much harder to quit or to give up if you have real conviction about what it is that you’re doing and why you go to work every day.

“And I think it’ll make you better at what you do if you really take it that seriously or take it to heart in that way,” said Lopez.

5. Embrace Varied Opinions and Perspectives

Despite her decades of high-level experience, Schupf indicated that she continues to surround herself with a nuanced team, including individuals who have generally varied opinions and viewpoints, to serve as something of a safeguard against the inherent subjectivity that comes with pursuing business in art – and especially music.

For those who are wondering how to make it in the music industry, the point is significant in that it will discourage tunnel vision and contribute to stronger overall projects.

“It is subjective,” Schupf acknowledged of judging tracks. “I think as you are working with people and building teams, for me I think it’s so super important to have diverse teams and different perspectives. Because we all hear things differently.

“I could be wrong. … I think through experience I’m wrong less of the time, but that still doesn’t mean I can’t be wrong,” concluded the former Imagem Music exec.

A recent advertisement for Ford’s 2021 Bronco — with a cinematic musical backdrop to complete the pitch.

During a recent Songtradr ‘Happy Hour’ livestream event, two longtime music industry professionals discussed the process they employ when selecting songs for adverts – and explained how creators can best capitalize upon the growing role of music in advertising.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

The remote panel’s first guest, Joe Belliotti, served as Coca-Cola’s global head of music for eight years and currently leads The Music Division, an “outsourced music department.” Michael Szumowski, a veteran music supervisor and producer who also possesses a wealth of experience on the creative side of the industry, joined Belliotti and host Victoria Wiltshire to analyze the nuances of music in advertising.

Before diving into the technical characteristics that they look for when pairing songs with ads, the livestream participants emphasized the significant part that professional relationships play in the selection process. Building upon a point that several other Happy Hour panelists have mentioned, Belliotti and Szumowski relayed that networking is an essential precursor to getting your music into the right hands (and ears).

“I think in order to get your song heard, you need to build a relationship with somebody, right? You need to build a relationship so someone’s welcoming that song in and listening to it with friendly ears,” said Belliotti. “A brand manager who isn’t really a music person might be thinking about music one, two times the entire year. So you have to stay on people’s radar in the right way.”

Similarly, despite their varied experiences and different career paths — the Australian Szumowski co-founded Indecent Obsession, while Belliotti has long been a marketing mainstay in the States — the experts reiterated that selecting songs for ads centers chiefly on the brief, particularly in today’s quick-moving and high-volume promotional landscape.

“The brief is, that’s probably the most important part of the process. That dictates, ultimately, the direction you’re going when you’re looking for music,” said the former Alberts Head of A&R Szumowski.

More broadly, client preferences and requirements factor directly into the way that Szumowski and Belliotti determine which artists to work with and which tracks to feature in ad spots.

“Most of the time, a brand that’s selling you something wants you to feel a certain way, and it’s generally positive about what they’re trying to kind of communicate or sell,” said Szumowski. “What role is the music playing? Is it just there to provide an underscore – is there a lot of voiceover, for example? Is it there to kind of highlight certain parts of the vision? Is it there to kind of support a call to action? This is where the brief comes in,” he continued.

Bearing these points and the visual media’s specifics in mind, the supervisor then takes steps to pair the ad with songs that are likely to leave a lasting impression on listeners. “So you can put two different tracks against a vision and create a completely different emotional response from a viewer,” stated Szumowski. “Understanding what the emotion of the communication is, and is to be conveyed, is really vital.”

Belliotti likened his song-selection duties to those of a translator, describing clients’ wishes to creators as part of a larger effort to guarantee the end advert’s quality and suitability for the target audience.

“It’s like acting as a translator, and the more inputs we can get from the brand, and the agency if there is one, or whoever the team is around the project. The more inputs we get the better, and it starts to form sort of a clearer picture,” said the former Maverick talent-development exec.

Interestingly, the longtime Coca-Cola higher-up also specified that pitching musicians stand to benefit from explaining the suitability and appeal of their works in detail.

“In brands and agencies, we like to hear the obvious, right? I think that artists and whoever’s pitching should take each song and tell me exactly why you think this is perfect, right? Break it down for me,” he encouraged. “Just tell me the obvious – what is obvious to you, tell it to me again. Because then I can use that to sell them the song.”

And ultimately, in terms of who has the final say in the songs, Belliotti bluntly relayed: “Everybody and nobody. I’m kind of joking, but I’m not. I mean, I think it really is everybody and nobody.

“When you’re talking about getting your songs placed or getting something that’s a little more of a brand partnership type of thing, that’s where you really have to, you know, build yourself and sell your story and get people to fall in love with you through the way you present yourself, the way you describe yourself.”

Szumowski took the idea a step further, indicating that even if an ad agency approves of a track, the brands themselves have the last word – and the (often-utilized) right to request revisions.

“The brand may say, ‘You know what? We’re not liking this or that.’ And at that point, it’s having to kind of rework – it could be the vision, it could be the edit, or it could be the music. So you’re kind of not out of the woods even if your agencies love the track.”

The multifaceted process of creating music in advertising encompasses making contacts, nurturing relationships, and speaking to listeners. With these and other moving pieces in place, results are likely to arrive sooner rather than later, per the panelists.

“There is so much music out there, I think the mistake that most artists and composers make is settling for something that is kind of good enough. You have to be extraordinary,” said Szumowski. “Great music has a weird way of finding its way to people who make decisions.”

Sync Licensing — for Rollercoasters? (photo: dlohner)

Sync licensing is a major source of income – and exposure – for both well-established acts and the stars of tomorrow. But contrary to the commonly held belief, there’s much more to the fast-growing music industry sector than film, television, and commercials.

Earlier this year, we published a comprehensive introduction to the exciting world of sync licensing, including who and what are involved with the corresponding deals. To summarize, sync licensing refers to the process of matching your music in any type of visual media. Carefully selected songs bring video games’ fast-paced battle sequences to life and complement most every film’s credits, for instance.

And with platforms like Hulu, Netflix, HBO, and Amazon continuing to ramp-up their content production in the streaming age, additional sync opportunities are becoming available to artists. Another key component of sync is its obtainability for all creators.

The reason is that music supervisors employ a “fit, not a hit” system when selecting tracks, prioritizing works’ suitability for their project as opposed to commercial prevalence. Moreover, the exposure that sync licensing delivers often proves significant for artists, many of whom experience a popularity boost following a placement that makes an impression on viewers.

But this isn’t to say that TV, film, adverts, and gaming are the only visual-media spheres where sync licensing is thriving.

The quick-expanding sync space now encompasses an array of outside-the-box placements, to the benefit of artists around the world. During a recent “Happy Hour” livestream event, music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr welcomed two individuals who’ve achieved considerable career success via placements that break the mold.

The panel’s first guest, producer and songwriter Joseph Crow, has worked with talent including Adam Lambert, The Veronicas, and Korn’s Jonathan Davis, to name just some. Towards the hour-long discussion’s beginning, Crow described his extensive experience crafting stomp music. Stomp, the former WNBA DJ Crow explained, refers to music made using real-world, non-instrumental sounds – and in his case, those that come from the workplace.

The unique process begins when the Regional Emmy winner’s agency connects with corporate clients and films their places of business. Crow, in turn, uses the captured audio to develop tracks, and these works complement the edited footage and are typically played during industry gatherings and companywide functions.

One past client, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, received a stomp song featuring the sounds of drills, saws, hammers, and the other noises that you’d hear in shops and on worksites. (Crow said that he took the track in a rock direction.)

And notably, the Oklahoma native and 10-year LA resident struck on a point that previous Happy Hour guests have mentioned when disclosing tips for other sync- and placement-minded persons.

“You need to be very familiar with what the client is expecting,” said Crow. “Above anything else, the person who’s paying, you need to make sure you know what they are hoping to get out of the project. … It’s not what I want, I’m serving what their needs are. So just being familiar with the ‘project link,’ what the emotion is of it, you know, it’s all super, super crucial.”

Brandon Christy, who composed and produced the Access Hollywood theme for 17 years, joined Joseph Crow for the Songtradr sit down. After noting that he transitioned to behind-the-scenes music industry roles following a period as an artist, the frequent Robbie Williams collaborator explained that he helped conceive and tailor the on-ride music for the new-and-improved Space Mountain. Golden Globe-winning composer Michael Giacchino, who’s scored multiple Mission: Impossible and Jurassic World installments, tapped Christy to join the project.

Building upon the assignment’s “tailoring” aspect, the panelist emphasized that passengers’ total weight affects each ride’s duration and timing. Heavier trains proceed uphill at a comparatively slow pace (and descend quicker than light trains), and simply hitting “play” would cause more than a few riders to hear music at the wrong moments.

The solution was to divide the score into segments triggered by the train itself, Christy relayed. A strings section plays – looping if necessary, depending upon the passengers’ progress – until the train triggers a brass piece, and so on. Needless to say, the unexpected consideration represents one of the many obstacles that accompany mold-breaking placements.

The multi-instrumentalist Christy also told viewers of another unforeseen obstacle that he’s overcome during his 25-year-long career – this time when he was creating music for SeaWorld’s Shamu Rocks show. “And this was of course before the documentary Blackfish, which exposed all the animal cruelty,” Christy specified at the outset.

The lucrative placement opportunity went according to plan until Christy and his associates – composer Adam Cohen and Hannah Montana songwriter Jeannie Lurie, in this instance – realized that they’d forgotten to account for the most important (and largest) stakeholders.

“The one that we forgot was the whales, the orcas themselves. We did this very nice song, sort of light, light rock. It was called ‘Black and White.’ And we found that after a few months, we got contacted. They asked us to remove the beats, because the beats were upsetting the principal stakeholder that we’d forgotten about, which was the whales themselves.

“And then they kept asking us to remove more and more of it. I hope it didn’t make them angry and cause any of the unfortunate stuff that eventually happened,” joked Christy. “I don’t think so. But there are always stakeholders that you are going to forget about that are going to be vital. … With unusual placements, it’s always going to be odd. So you’ve got to think of everything.”

The advice is undoubtedly worth bearing in mind, as traditional sync licensing opportunities and their outside-the-box counterparts are becoming increasingly abundant with each passing day. For artists and other creators, the industry-wide shift will bring more gigs, a greater amount of exposure, and a wider variety of ways to achieve professional results. Accordingly, there’s never been a better time to read up on secrets for scoring sync deals and maximizing revenue, as well as surprising lessons from two established sync licensing songwriters.

photo: Gerd Altmann

In today’s social media-driven entertainment landscape, cultivating an artist image that resonates with fans is a must. Here’s how you can build an appealing look without breaking the bank – according to three industry experts. 

You want to create a killer artist image that defines your expression — but how do you get started? Just recently, three veteran image-builders – photographer Pamela Littky, wardrobe stylist Mark Holmes, and hair and makeup artist Vanessa Price – provided advice on how to craft a world-class artist image during a recent Songtradr Happy Hour livestream event.

Littky has captured one-of-a-kind shots of artists including Billie Joe Armstrong and Dave Grohl, while Mark Holmes has crafted memorable outfits for the likes of Bruno Mars and Nick Jonas. Vanessa Price has worked repeatedly with megastars Justin Bieber and the Foo Fighters, as well as many film and TV mainstays.

 1. Prioritize Hair, Makeup, and Styling — Not Expensive Equipment

According to Littky, high-quality hair, makeup, and on-shoot feedback are musts if you’re trying to create a stellar artist image. Additionally, the Most Likely to Succeed filmmaker emphasized that expensive equipment doesn’t necessarily guarantee results and, to be sure, is of secondary importance.

“I mean, equipment helps, but it’s not everything,” said Littky. “You could take a cardboard disposable camera and have it look like a professional shoot.

“I would never recommend doing a shoot without hair and makeup, though. I just think it’s so important,” continued the renowned photographer. “And styling if you can. If you can get a person to style, even just with the person’s own clothes. … Having just those things, really that’s what makes the difference between professional-looking and maybe not so professional-looking.”

2. Remember That Ideas and Creativity Carry More Weight Than Financial Resources

Expanding upon the idea that expensive equipment and services don’t automatically equal success, Holmes described just how far ideas and creativity will go towards helping you develop worthwhile content and an excellent artist image.

“Never underestimate the brilliance of having a great idea,” said Holmes, who began his wardrobe-stylist career on the set of a music video for “99 Problems” by Jay-Z. “Like that OK Go video from 15 years ago, on the treadmills or whatever. That was a prime example of something that was very inexpensive to make in the time of making very inexpensive videos.

“So when you don’t have the resources, don’t try to outstretch beyond your means. Get the fundamental ingredients to what it is that you have at your availability and make the best use of them,” continued Holmes.

3. Find an Up-and-Coming Stylist, Photographer, or Makeup Artist — You Can Really Help Each Other

Tomorrow’s star stylists, photographers, and other behind-the-scenes assets are always in search of opportunities to gain experience and/or compile portfolios, the Happy Hour guests noted. To be sure, Littky, Holmes, and Price each mentioned that they got their foot in the door by completing jobs for little cash – or no compensation at all.

In this way, if you’re looking to benefit from professional insight without paying professional prices (possibly to capitalize upon a tremendous idea), there’s something to be said for reaching out to individuals who are working to establish their careers.

Littky spearheaded the process (and, in turn, met many artists) by contacting hair, makeup, and stylist agencies, asking, “‘Who’s young and hungry and wanting to build their book too?’

“The agents have a lead, usually, on people who have contacted them that they don’t necessarily rep yet, but they still would recommend,” explained Littky. “And someone that might be right for your shoot could come out of that.”

And as social media profiles and contact information are a click or a tap away, it’s easier than ever to connect with those who could be interested in helping build your artist image (while also aiding their own prospects).

4. Consult Outside Opinions During Shoots to Build an Optimal Artist Image 

In the same vein, Price relayed the importance of outside opinions, including those from hair, makeup, and wardrobe specialists or even individuals who lack formal experience.

“Having someone there to just go, ‘Yes, no, no, yes, yes,” said Price, who’s crafted Justin Bieber’s signature haircuts. “Even if it’s not someone who knows how to do hair and makeup, but someone who has an aesthetic and has a good sense of style and has good taste.

“If you do happen to know someone who is a makeup artist or an aspiring makeup artist or a hair stylist who works in a salon, absolutely bring them on. … It’s really hard to do hair and makeup on yourself. It really is hard. I don’t do my own hair and makeup – hell no! It’s too hard.

“Because we don’t see ourselves in the way that other people see us. So having someone else’s eyes on you, accentuating your assets, then absolutely, you want that,” concluded Price.

This input, along with the first three tips and the initiative that accompanies every successful entertainment industry project, will help you build a winning look. Because at the end of the day, artist image is simply a window into the personalities of those responsible for creating the contemporary soundtrack.

Contrary to the commonly held belief, rap and hip hop aren’t interchangeable. Here’s an in-depth answer to the age-old question: what’s the difference between rap and hip hop? — including a breakdown from a hip hop pioneer.

Most experts maintain that the real difference between rap and hip hop is that one is a subset of the other. Rap represents a rhythmic style of vocal recitation that’s popular in most of hip hop’s top songs.  But it’s just one component of the broader hip hop cultural movement.

The hip hop movement, for its part, consists of rap and several cultural elements, including one’s lifestyle and experiences. Rapping is a specific vocal delivery, while hip hop can include fashion, deejaying, dance (hip hop dance and breakdancing), art (especially graffiti culture), and a general lifestyle and attitude.

Old school rap icon KRS-One put it this way: “Rap is something you do, hip hop is something you live.”

To sum it up, anyone can be a rapper, while only those who’ve lived hip hop can craft music in the genre and represent the broader lifestyle.

Most of today’s popular rap didn’t result from firsthand experiences with hip hop culture, according to the “Remember 2 Forget” creator. In turn, Murs relayed that there’s a disconnect between many facets of contemporary rap music and the real-world memories of the responsible artists – and it’s this disconnect and lack of authenticity that stops the tracks from being hip hop.

Digital Music News was on hand for a recent Songtradr Happy Hour event, “Hip-Hop Deconstructed,” which welcomed Murs to discuss and analyze hip hop music and its precise definition. Building upon the above-mentioned difference between rap and hip hop, the “First Love” artist specified that authenticity is essential in hip hop and elaborated on the resulting distinction.

“You could be a rapper, and you could be a musician, and you could be a pop star,” said Murs, “but it doesn’t make you hip hop. Hip hop is definitely – it’s a culture. There’s elements to it, there’s all types of things that go along with it.”

Much of the rap music making waves today didn’t result from firsthand experiences with hip hop culture, according to the “Remember 2 Forget” creator. In turn, Murs relayed that there’s a disconnect between many facets of contemporary rap music and the real-world memories of the responsible artists – and it’s this disconnect and lack of authenticity that stops the tracks from being hip hop.

“Rap is not authentic. The rap you hear on the radio is not what is going on in black communities,” stated Murs. “Assuming that these men are always partying or always violent, or that’s, you know, an indicator of black life in America is way off base.”

Across his nearly 40 releases to date – including a new work tackling the seemingly endless stream of tracks centering on selling cocaine – Murs has remained authentic by staying true to each piece of his background.  From reading (which his mother introduced him to) and religion to skateboarding and comic books, as well as much in between, Murs’s songs reflect his unique, one-of-a-kind viewpoint.

“‘Your voice is your lens through who you are,’” Murs’s mentor, Slug, once told him. “For better or worse, I’m from Los Angeles. It would be gang culture – that’s my lens. Everything I see is through that,” Murs noted.

The frequent Twitch streamer also expressed the idea that hip hop is evolving out of its “hair metal phase” presently. “Hip hop has been stuck in kind of its ‘hair-metal phase’ for a long time,” said Murs. “It’s very flashy, sex, sex, sex, party, party, party. It’s been stuck there for a long time. But I think what’s going on now is there’s going to be a huge shift. There has to be.

“Hip hop is growing now with Tyler [The Creator] and Kendrick Lamar,” continued the “Vs. Everybody” artist. “And there’s still room for the 50 Cents and the ‘hair metal bands’ of rap. I think we’re finally getting over that hump. But for a while we were stuck in that.”

One thing to keep in mind: this is where rap and hip hop exist right now. But things are constantly evolving. Rap styles are always evolving, and hip hop’s nuances are in a state of constant flux.

But in terms of breakdowns, not all rap is hip hop, and not all hip hop is rap. This invaluable distinction is important for the hip hop voices of tomorrow, and fans in search of music that speaks to their preferences and stories.

During their ninth and most recent “Happy Hour” livestream event, Touring’s Out. Now What?, music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr welcomed two eminent musicians to discuss how they’re adjusting to cancelled concerts and the wider pause in touring.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Digital Music News joined a substantial virtual crowd for the 60-minute session on cancelled concerts and the music community’s path forward. Songtradr CXO Victoria Wiltshire hosted the function, and her first guest, clavinet extraordinaire Lachy Doley, has collaborated and/or toured with the likes of Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa. Additionally, the National Live Music Awards-nominated artist has released seven albums independently and with his band, the Lachy Doley Group.

Joining Wiltshire and Doley was Grecco Buratto, who has worked with Shakira, P!nk, k.d. lang, Sérgio Mendes, and many other esteemed artists, in addition to writing and composing for television shows such as Everwood and Miami Vice. Plus, the Brazil-born music expert speaks several languages and has dropped more than a few tracks in Portuguese.

Cancelled concerts have materially impacted both Buratto and Doley’s careers. Doley has played more than 300 shows since 2011, and Buratto had planned to maintain a rigorous international touring schedule prior to the pandemic. Accordingly, in explaining how they’ve adjusted to the unprecedented new norm, the talented musicians disclosed a multitude of useful tips.

1. Pick Up Unfinished Projects and Explore New Earning Opportunities

Early in the Happy Hour, both guests detailed the disappointment and surprise they felt when cancelled concerts became a reality. But they quickly made the most of their cleared schedules: with cancellations pouring in, the musicians simply shifted their goals.

For Buratto, this pivot involved completing unfinished projects, and Doley did the same while also embracing livestreaming and other earning opportunities for the first time.

“I instantly started offering lessons,” said Doley. “I hadn’t really done that before, I’m not really a born teacher I would say.”

The endeavor has proven financially beneficial and artistically rewarding for Doley, and Buratto emphasized the array of professional chances he’s unlocked as a result of his busy (non-touring) schedule.

2. Stay Active to Maintain a Positive Outlook

Building upon the latter point, a set-in-stone routine and strong work ethic are advantageous for a multitude of reasons – not solely due to the heightened chance of scoring invaluable deals.

“I’m definitely used to that rhythm of always having something going on and doing something and producing and recording and that kind of thing. So I try not to be still,” said Buratto, who embraced the difficult circumstances of his position while recognizing his inability to immediately change them.

Later, Doley also touched upon the idea, alluding to the advantages that professional consistency presents during a time that’s fraught with uncertainty.

“Just keeping very busy, basically, I find that if I’m busy, I’m in a good headspace,” said the Adelaide native.

3. Take Small Steps to Monetize Already-Completed Works

Next, Doley and Buratto have taken small steps to monetize their already-completed works, and these payments will add up with time, possibly comprising a substantial sum down the line.

Lachy Doley, for his part, acknowledged the importance of “money coming in from lots of little places” and proceeded to elaborate upon the related changes he’s made amid the pandemic – changes, it bears mentioning, that will continue to produce results even after things return to normal.

Addressing his just-monetized YouTube videos specifically, Doley said: “You can actually get these tiny little bits of money – they’re not much, but they’re consistent. And basically, the more that you do, then the more of those little bits are gonna add up. And eventually, maybe over another five years, those little bits may actually be enough to keep you afloat if for some reason you can’t do gigs or you choose not to do gigs.”

Buratto spoke of his decidedly different – and possibly incidental – effort to monetize finished works.

“Another thing I have been doing is a general cleaning up of my old computer, hard drives, digitizing cassette tapes – yes, all of that,” he said.

While tackling the assignment, the “Tudo Não Me Basta” artist uncovered recordings of 15-year-old acoustic guitar sessions, the best of which he proceeded to equip with an orchestra and turn into a 10-track album. Though the project was slightly more involved than cashing in on existing streams, it nevertheless relates to the overarching goal of capitalizing upon past endeavors’ untapped potential.

4. Cultivate a Strong Digital Presence

Lastly, Lachy Doley relayed that he’s moved to cultivate a strong digital presence, and a quick examination of his social media interactions and streaming plays suggests that the initiative has been successful.

Forging strong (remote) relationships with fans as lockdown restrictions remain in place is important, because these connections – like the above-mentioned monetization byproducts – will be beneficial after the pandemic’s conclusion.

“But really making that a huge focus and getting committed to, you know, whether it’s doing livestreams every week or just putting new material up on the streaming sites consistently. I’m almost starting to think of Spotify as just another news stream in a way,” stated Doley. “I think the more you put out there, the more people are gonna come and hopefully enjoy what you do. But you just have to be consistent and try and be as creative as you can.”

Fans can catch the full replay of the Songtradr Happy Hour on YouTube. The next edition – set to take place on September 17th – will feature Mobb Deep’s Havoc as well as Murs in a discussion about the significance of hip-hop music.

What’s the path to songwriting glory? In a recent Happy Hour livestream event, music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr invited two esteemed songwriters and producers to discuss their unexpected success stories.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Digital Music News was on hand for the hour-long virtual function, which Songtradr CXO Victoria Wiltshire hosted. The remote happening’s first guest, producer and power songwriter Benj Heard, has written for an array of award-winning artists and prominent brands throughout his career, in addition to developing talent for Sony Music and Universal Music. And while speaking on how to succeed as a songwriter, the “Half as Good” singer emphasized that he continues to release music as an artist.

Besides writing with Sean Kingston, Alien Ant Farm, and many other well-known acts, the second Happy Hour guest, fellow producer and songwriter Esjay Jones, has scored sync deals on Netflix’s Insatiable and Dark. The South Africa native’s work has also appeared in adverts for Vaseline, Maybelline, and Ardene, to name just some.

1. Prioritize Quality — Not Targeting an Audience — for Long-Term Results

Towards the Happy Hour’s beginning, Esjay Jones touched on a significant point while describing her first placement. The deal – for a “VW or a Jeep ad” – arrived in about 2008, when the Step Up scorer was still releasing music as Stealing Love Jones. Notably, Jones wasn’t seeking sync opportunities at this time, and the possibility presented itself organically.

“When a music supervisor finds a song that they love that just happens to be cut by an artist, it’s like, ‘Well that’s the one we want,’” said Jones.

Heard also spoke of his first songwriting placement, on 16 and Pregnant, and relayed that he originally created the song for a fundraiser. After the track went unused at the event, Heard released it in an EP and handed the work off to a music supervisor. In other words, by prioritizing quality – and avoiding targeting a specific audience – during the writing process, Jones and Heard set themselves up for results.

“I’ve never written for a pitch and gotten the pitch,” Benj Heard told viewers. “But everything that I’ve written as a pitch has been placed somewhere else.”

2. Cultivate Music Supervisor Relationships — Through Preparation and Otherwise

Heard and Jones also stressed that preparation and building strong music supervisor relationships have a major impact on songwriting success. Underlying quality is paramount, once again, but placements will be decidedly hard to come by if one’s unfriendly (or even inconsiderate) to supervisors or other placement pros.

“A big part of this is preparing for success, because you cannot predict how a placement is going to come or where it’s going to come from,” said Heard.

“So to have all your ducks in a row, have all your files outputted in correct formats and alternate versions and instrumental and registration. And make it as easy as possible for the supervisor to just take the song if they want it.”

Jones echoed the sentiment, stating: “It really is all about relationship building. It’s really making those relationships with the music supervisors.”

And doing positive things that most other artists, songwriters, and producers may not be doing is a key element of these relationships, per Jones.

“It’s going that extra mile – and being on time, because believe it or not, people in the music industry are not ever on time or hitting deadlines,” she said.

3. Collaborate with Different Songwriters and Producers Whenever Possible

According to Jones and Heard, the benefits of connecting and collaborating with different songwriters, including unlocking professional opportunities, learning, and crafting excellent music, are immense.

“I really believe in that human connection,” said Jones. “I think it’s important to go out and meet people. It’s important to be humble, to listen to people, to collaborate. … I think musicians have their own magic, and when musicians and musicians come together, it’s just the most amazing thing.”

Needless to say, outreach and collaboration efforts have changed dramatically amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but Jones mentioned social-media comments, emails, and remote networking events as viable possibilities, driving the point home by noting that she’d like to work with Heard.

4. Develop Supplemental Skills to Complement Toplining Abilities

Contrary to the opinion of many in the music community, the Happy Hour guests indicated that instrumental and software skills can substantially bolster one’s songwriting capabilities and placement prospects.

“I think it’s important as a topliner that you know how to play something,” said Jones. “It’s always strange to me when people say that they’re a songwriter and that they just write lyrics and melody, but they can’t pin down the basic chord structure.”

Heard concurred with the assessment and expanded upon the idea in terms of placement potential, saying: “Pivoting from there, I think it’s really, really valuable to know how to run some kind of a DAW [digital audio workstation]. … Just being able to have the independence to go and make your own music.

“And even if you know how to produce and maybe it’s not worth your time, if you can at least learn how to track your own vocals, that would be amazing.”

5. Develop a Large Body of Work

Lastly, Jones and Heard described the multifaceted benefits of developing a sizable collection of songs. Grasping the depth of these diverse advantages is an integral part of understanding how to succeed as a songwriter, the Happy Hour guests specified.

“You have to be training every single day to get on your skill,” said Jones. “I’m in this room by myself for like 16 hours a day.”

Heard was once again on the same page, characterizing songwriting as a “muscle” that one must “keep exercising.” More broadly, frequent activity improves songwriting and production skills, and a considerable output will render each completed work a step towards bigger and better things.

“And a lot of times you’ll find – especially in production – that you’re like pulling things from this song that you just finished,” Heard said.

Fans can catch the full replay of the Songtradr Happy Hour on YouTube. The next edition – scheduled for Thursday, September 3rd – will invite touring musicians to discuss how they’ve coped and stayed connected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Famed director Jon Turteltaub and Songtradr CXO Victoria Wiltshire.

In a recent Songtradr Happy Hour livestream event, The Meg and National Treasure director Jon Turteltaub described what happens behind-the-scenes when crafting a Blockbuster movie score or TV soundtrack.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Digital Music News joined a large number of composers and sync-minded artists who tuned in for the discussion, which was replete with useful information and insight about how a movie score comes to life on major works. And in disclosing some of the invaluable knowledge accumulated during his more than 30-year-long career, Jon Turteltaub shed light upon pro tips that could help musicians secure game-changing placements in visual media.

1. Music that resonates with listeners has major sync potential — immediately and down the line.

Early in the livestream function, Turteltaub indicated that he doesn’t necessarily wait until scenes have been filmed to select their music. On the contrary, the Phenomenon director often takes note of personally appealing songs with the intention of using them in his later movies.

“For me, there are movies where I’ve actually had songs in my head, where I’ve been waiting to find a movie to put them in, knowing that they were great,” said Turteltaub.

In the case of 1995’s While You Were Sleeping, the New York City-born director decided upon the opening-credits track – “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” – a full decade beforehand (and prior to recording his first professional credit).

High-quality music that resonates with listeners will always possess sync potential – even if the deals don’t arrive out of the gate.

2. The film’s editor plays a significant part in bringing movie scores to life.

Neither studio higher-ups nor directors themselves wield the most influence in picking the music that ultimately makes its way onto a movie score, per Turteltaub. In actuality, editors play a particularly significant part in the process because they set rough cuts to music before sharing the early clips with directors. Due to the familiarity that comes with this exposure, the music then has a dramatic impact on directors’ decisions.

“That’s that first thing that gets in your head, and you’re so insecure about what you shot. Suddenly it comes to life, they put music on there, and it’s like, ‘Wow, this is pretty good,’” stated Turteltaub.

From there, as directors work with editors to craft the temp score, the original song choices will continue to affect the creative direction of the film’s final soundtrack. In this way, it’s important for artists and composers to cultivate strong professional relationships with all visual media professionals – not solely directors and studio execs.

3. Directors thrive on compliments and support – which could be the difference between closing a deal.

The inherent pressure and stress of filming can make directors especially appreciative of compliments and support. And kind words (or a lack thereof) on a composer’s end can make or break work-related associations. Moreover, Turteltaub relayed that directors and artists share a similar need for praise.

“It’s what you do for a living too. We all tend to love what we have created ourselves. … When someone hears your music, you’re going, ‘Oh please, oh please, oh please like it. Please like it, please like it,’” noted Turteltaub.

“And it’s the same thing with the director. You may think it’s not, and you may need to act like it’s not. And you may think it’s insulting to say to Steven Spielberg, ‘This is really good.’ But I promise you he doesn’t want to hear anything other than that.”

4. For artists and composers, being pleasant and easy to work with is a must.

In a similar vein, Turteltaub touched on the idea that composers and sync-minded artists should go out of their way to be pleasant and easy to work with – though admittedly, doing so will sometimes prove challenging. Nevertheless, rejection is an inevitable byproduct of creating for visual media, and to maximize work opportunities and career prospects in the long term, it’s best to avoid burning bridges.

Previously, during a separate Happy Hour, multiple veteran composers also acknowledged those points.

“Leave yourself not just open, but easy. If you can be easy to deal with when someone says, ‘You know, it’s great, it really is great. I just think maybe we can try…’” said Turteltaub.

5. In film and television scores, melody is (still) everything.

Lastly, during the Happy Hour’s final moments, Turteltaub described the stylistic nuances of a successful movie score today. Acknowledging that some may perceive his comments as “old fashioned,” the Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist director nevertheless gave his two cents on how composers (and, once again, artists in search of sync placements) can optimize their chances of succeeding.

“This is gonna maybe sound old fashioned of me. But this has come up over, and over, and over,” emphasized Turteltaub. “Some composers today are particularly shitty at it. Every producer – especially if they’re my age or older – will say the same words over and over again. Melody, melody, melody. Composers keep writing moods, they keep writing maybe a phrase.”

“Write a melody. Give me an actual theme. Theme is not chord changes.”

Film composer Matthew Head, Songtrader CXO Victoria Wiltshire, songwriter Andy Love, and TV writer Yule Caise discuss the art of the pitch (photo: Songtradr).

In today’s ultra-competitive music landscape, how you pitch to execs is almost as important as the quality of your music. So how do you get your music heard? Here are critical pointers from three longtime music industry pros.

The following discussion on how to get your music heard was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Digital Music News was on hand for the hour-long discussion, which was replete with pro tips centering on how to get your music heard by big-name professionals, brands, and, ultimately, audiences. Longtime film composer Matthew Head, established songwriter Andy Love, and Emmy-winning television writer Yule Caise participated in the virtual happening.

Here are a few of the ways that artists can tighten their pitches, and maximize their chances of getting juicy placements and gigs.

1. Show up prepared.

“I do the research. And I’ve been guilty in the past, early in my career, of not doing enough research,” said Caise. “It’s just giving you the broader sum so that you can walk into a room open, and be open to ideas.”

Each of the Happy Hour guests emphasized just how significant it is for you to plan ahead of pitches. This means being friendly and building strong relationships with company higher-ups – centering on something besides music, if possible – and carefully compiling works that fit the mood and style of the visual media at hand. Additionally, you should be sure to introduce only your best-suited tracks, as especially lengthy pitches could very well dissuade execs and drawn attention away from your songs’ merits.

2. Don’t let inevitable setbacks throw you off; confidence is key.

“You have to have the toughest skin, you know, out of most other jobs,” said Love.

Confidence is an integral ingredient in the recipe for pitching results, and as you likely already know from other elements of your career, challenges and obstacles are unavoidable. With pitches in particular, the way you respond to difficulties – from short comments to outright denials – is everything.

Do all that you can to connect with execs and set yourself up for success, but realize that thick skin is more a necessity than a suggestion. Setbacks are inevitable, and music is highly subjective.

3. Trust your instincts.

“Every piece of music that you hear is something that I personally like. … If I can stand behind something that I don’t question, then if you don’t like it that’s on you,” said Head.

During pitches, it can be hard to remember that the involved execs have agreed to meet with you because they need a product that only you can deliver – or, at the very least, that they cannot produce on their own. And in the same vein, their recommendations are just that: recommendations.

The reality is that you’re the expert, and as such, you have to trust your instincts. Advice and remarks are a dime a dozen, and to supply moving music, you must draw on your vast expertise and many hours of experience. That doesn’t mean disregarding criticism entirely, but rather, it means creating exclusively on your terms.

You might be surprised by the results that accompany staying true to yourself.  Some of the Happy Hour speakers’ greatest professional achievements arrived when they weren’t catering to the crowd – as opposed to catering solely to the whims of those who are, admittedly, unfamiliar with the creative process.

4. Let the opportunities come to you.

“Now I’m at a place where I’m like, ‘Ah, they’re not calling back,” said Caise. “If they wanted to, they would. …There’s somebody else who’s gonna think that what you’re doing is amazing.”

In an industry that revolves around constant motion – writing, recording, rehearsing, performing, and tending to the business side of things – you might find this pro tip counterproductive. Realistically, though, it’s a major step towards fully understanding how to get your music heard.

Assure that your website and social media handles are up to date, of course, and make a point of cultivating industry contacts – but bear in mind more than anything else that you’re represented by your music. If your works “check all the boxes” and resonate with listeners, execs will call you. Attempting to force deals will waste your invaluable time and energy.

Music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr recently hosted their fifth “Happy Hour” livestream event, Music for Gaming: What’s Working + What’s Ahead. The hour-long sit down invited two of today’s foremost video game sync professionals and soundtrack coordinators to discuss the ins and outs of music’s integral role in the gaming world.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Digital Music News was on hand for the virtual function, moderated by Songtradr CXO Victoria Wiltshire.

The Happy Hour livestream’s first featured guest, Brandon Young, is Activision’s Senior Director of Music Affairs. For nearly two decades and running, Young has arranged the in-game and promotional soundtracks – including identifying suitable music and negotiating deals with artists and labels – for famed series like Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, and the Tony Hawk franchise. Along the way, he’s worked with internationally-renowned artists such as Metallica, Aerosmith, and Taylor Swift.

Gavin Johnson, head of gaming at indie electronic music label Monstercat, joined Wiltshire and Young. During his eight years at the helm of the Vancouver-based brand’s gaming division, Johnson has cultivated ongoing music partnerships with the developers of Rocket League and Beat Saber.

Given the tremendous (and continually growing) scope of the video game sector, which encompasses approximately 2.5 billion players and over $150 billion in annual revenue, it goes without saying that games can offer artists a multitude of sync licensing opportunities.

To be sure, Young indicated that the upcoming remastered edition of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 (scheduled for release on September 4th) will be equipped with about 40 new tracks, in addition to most of those included in the original games. Additionally, frequently updated titles like Rocket League offer ongoing sync openings for artists, with Monstercat’s five in-game soundtrack DLC packages presenting a prime example.

However, both guests stressed the immense importance of tailoring music to fit the video game medium. Like other visual media sectors, gaming covers an array of genres and experiences. But regardless of musical style, artists should take a few simple-but-essential steps to increase their video game sync prospects.

“Lyrics are a big one…so many tracks get turned down because of lyrics,” said Johnson. “Lyrics need to have a specific message.”

Though there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to writing lyrics that are well-suited for gaming, Johnson stated: “We’re trying to really build an ecosystem where we’re placing music that can drive memorable and magical moments in-game. … So that through those moments, you’re creating a new identity for the song, which results in longevity for both the game and for the song.”

Building upon the idea, the Monstercat gaming head highlighted the significance of a track’s duration. Longer and more involved than other forms of visual media, video games generally play songs in their entirety, as opposed to featuring portions of tracks. Accordingly, a song’s length directly affects its viability for in-game placement, with professionals strongly preferring songs in the range of three to four minutes.

Young spoke in the same vein, emphasizing the role of songs’ duration as well as their freshness across many hours of gameplay. While crafting the soundtrack for the upcoming Tony Hawk game, he and his team forwarded possible selections to the developers, whose opinions determined whether the tracks would appear in the title’s final version.

“We plug the songs in that we’re thinking about for several weeks while the developers are building, and if it starts bothering them after a short period of time, then that song doesn’t make the cut. We want a song that will have that longevity of being able to sit and play through over and over without getting too repetitious,” said Young.

Additionally, the Activision music affairs executive stated that he generally seeks songs equipped with vocals for his projects. That’s another noteworthy contrast between sync and other forms of visual media, which typically utilize vocal tracks and instrumental pieces in roughly equal measure.

“I would say we probably end up using a lot more vocals than we do instrumentals. … I think when we are using music in-game, we want the real deal that has the vocals on it,” he said.

Songs’ licensing accessibility – or lack thereof – also factors into their viability for in-game placement.

Admittedly, the same can be said of sync licensing in visual media as a whole. Still, the point bears particular meaning in gaming, owing to the amount of music that soundtrack coordinators work with. When a game includes somewhere in the ballpark of 100 songs, there’s simply not much time to dedicate to closing complex agreements.

For example, Young relayed that he was able to relicense “almost all” the songs from the first two Pro Skater games (released in 1999 and 2000) for the HD remaster, but encountered a couple of defunct labels “where we just weren’t able to actually track down those rights.” This unfortunate point – for the game, fans, and the involved artists – is indicative of a modern-day sync negotiation style that prioritizes convenience and expediency.

In other words, when it comes to sync licensing in gaming, artists have additional incentive to maintain control of their music. 

“These songs need to be lightweight from a rights perspective. The rights need to be – for the master and the publishing side – easily clearable, usually one stop,” said Johnson. “For today’s day and age, try to be a bit more independent with the production as well. Don’t include too many writers or too many vocalists. … Be conscious of the rights that are gonna go into that when you try to clear it for a developer.”

Victoria Wiltshire expanded upon this advice by exploring the value of securing and organizing songs’ various file types.

“Whatever platform you’re using to upload your music, ready for licensing, make sure you have all the versions there. Get them prepared at the point of production,” recommended Wiltshire.

And as the roundtable’s main discussion made way for the Q&A portion, Young voiced his disappointment with being unable to consider each of the artist submissions that reach his inbox, due to the sheer volume and the constraints of his schedule.

“I’ll just call it what it is: It’s a bit unfortunate that I don’t listen to a lot of the stuff that comes my way,” said Young.

Wiltshire then asked the Activision exec how artists can garner the attention of video game sync professionals, and he responded by noting the value of networking, aligning with qualified companies and representatives, and, probably more than anything else, maintaining a positive mindset.

“I think you just gotta, sorta, keep pushing at it, keep driving, and just try to figure it out,” concluded Young.

Because of the fast-moving nature of the contemporary music industry, the things artists fail to do often prove most consequential; one critical oversight can very easily offset multiple steps in the right direction. By organizing songs’ source files, tailoring their lengths, and bearing in mind the impact of their lyrics, artists are setting themselves up for sync (and career) success when the right doors open.

It’s a matter of recording small day-by-day improvements and capitalizing upon opportunities as part of a larger journey towards long-standing goals.

Fans can catch the full replay of the Songtradr Happy Hour on YouTube. The next edition – scheduled for Thursday, July 23rd – will explore effective means of connecting with fans on social media.

(clockwise l tor ) Jive PR + Digital co-founder and CEO Lindsay Nahmiache; Songtradr CXO Victoria Wiltshire; branding expert Mike Tunnicliffe.

Music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr recently hosted their fourth “Happy Hour” livestream event, Balancing Branding with Artistry. During the hour-long discussion, two prominent branding professionals discussed what artists should – and shouldn’t do as they work to craft quality tracks and develop a loyal following in today’s quick-moving music industry.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Digital Music News attended the virtual function, which was moderated by Songtradr CXO Victoria Wiltshire.

The panel featured Jive PR + Digital co-founder and CEO Lindsay Nahmiache, who honed her marketing and promotional skills working for E! Entertainment in London, as well as Mumbai, India’s Contiloe Films.

Additionally, branding expert Mike Tunnicliffe, who launched and built the Universal Music Group Brands division, provided the roundtable audience with the invaluable insight that he acquired across more than two decades of high-level roles. During his time with UMG, the Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising veteran spearheaded marketing opportunities and brand partnerships for artists, including Lady Gaga, Nick Jonas, and Shawn Mendes.

Artists must look at themselves as “products” when branding, but authenticity is key.

Towards the discussion’s start, Lindsay Nahmiache emphasized that when it comes to branding, artists must look at themselves as products – at least in a general sense – to enjoy far-reaching career success. However, authenticity in music and appearance is the key to resonating with fans; musicians who strive solely for commercial results will have a much more difficult time connecting with listeners.

“For an artist, you have to look at yourself as the ‘product,’ but you can’t productize yourself,” said the United Nations Ambassador for Women’s Entrepreneurship.

Elaborating on the point, Nahmiache indicated that brands – including artists – should demonstrate personal transformation to a select portion of the market. Individuality, branding, and marketing – which many believe are contradictory – will bring about results from the solid foundation of authenticity.

“The most successful brands in the world, what they do for their consumers is to make them feel like they’re somehow going to receive a personal transformation. For me, I think artistry in branding is how you can create personal transformation,” stated Nahmiache.

Tunnicliffe agreed with Nahmiache’s assessment and, drawing from his expansive career and branding background, described the multifaceted nature of brands for artists.

“Branding is very intangible. … It’s all facets of experiences that you give to a consumer, or in the case of an artist to a fan. How you look, how you feel, what you stand for, what causes you support, how you communicate with them, what your stage show’s like, what sort of content you produce,” Tunnicliffe explained. “That’s the number one thing: Have your own style, your own identity, your own story, and make sure you communicate it incredibly well.”

In this way, branding, promotion, and creativity are not mutually exclusive.

Brand marketers offer useful advice, and artists should respectfully strike a balance between expert recommendations and their own opinions.

It’s sometimes difficult for creators – and especially artists – to strike a balance between authenticity and the recommendations of brand marketers and record label employees. But it’s imperative that they civilly communicate their feelings and resolve disagreements, bearing in mind all the while that third parties are there to help.

“If you can figure out how to have your communication and negotiation style be open, I think you’re going to go a lot further in getting what you want weaved into what you do. It’s just the nature of relationships,” said Nahmiache.

Tunnicliffe concurred and described the benefits of managers and creative teams who help their artists to grow and change in tandem with fans:

“The record labels have got – and this is what I loved at Universal – the most incredibly skilled executives. The really good labels and the really good label heads, the marketing people, the A&R people, are people that can help shape that artist’s career.”

Genuineness, kindness, and remaining open to opportunities go hand in hand – even if it doesn’t always seem to be the case.

“The basics” are essential components of both artistry and branding.

The roundtable participants agreed that artists often overlook “the basics” – high-resolution headshots, performance videos, functional websites, regularly updated social media profiles, bios, and logos among them – to the detriment of their brand and their reach as creators.

To be sure, fans rely on these items to better understand and associate with artists, as do companies and professionals, albeit while they’re considering proposing strategic partnership opportunities to musicians.

“We’re [the Songtradr team are] always looking for artists to feature, but we’re not always able to feature them because they don’t have a good headshot or a good image,” Victoria Wiltshire relayed.

Nahmiache took the idea a step further, indicating: “You need to have a bio written. Have a 25-word bio, a 50-word bio, and a 100-word bio. Just because, like you said, you would feature these artists if you could, but because they don’t have that, you can’t. You’d be surprised how many tactical elements you don’t have in place that aren’t hard to do.”

And Tunnicliffe stressed the significance of logos for artists – particularly because they’re more commonly associated with companies and products:

“They [well-established artists] have a look, a logo. And I know a lot of people might throw their hands up [and say], ‘Oh my God, I’m not a product, I don’t need a logo.’ … Drake, or Billie Eilish, or Justin Bieber, or Ariana Grande, they’ve all got a brand, look, and feel, which sometimes is a logo. You definitely need that consistency in terms of image.”

Nahmiache also noted that up-and-coming artists don’t have to break the bank when setting themselves up with bios, logos, videos, and other career assets.

“If you elevate yourself, you’ll look bigger and more established to people, and you’re going to get more opportunities that way. But it doesn’t have to be a huge financial investment,” she said.

Accordingly, there’s nothing stopping tomorrow’s stars from equipping themselves with the tools they need to garner the popularity that they deserve.

Fans can catch the full replay of the Songtradr Happy Hour on YouTube. The next edition – scheduled for Thursday, July 9th – will explore music’s role in the world of gaming.

Clockwise l-r: Artist Billie Bodega, Songtradr CXO Victoria Wiltshire, former president & CEO, Virgin/Warner/EMI Phil Quartararo, Oscar-nominated screen composer David Hirschfelder.

Music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr recently hosted their third “Happy Hour” livestream event, Music Through the Ages: Soundtrack or Catalyst of Change? A skillful artist, a veteran music executive, and a prominent composer were assembled to discuss the role music plays during times of tumultuous change.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  Be sure to check our ongoing coverage of this fast-growing sector here.

Digital Music News was on hand for the virtual event, which was moderated by Songtradr CXO Victoria Wiltshire.

The roundtable included Billie Bodega, a multi-talented Harvard graduate who acts, writes screenplays, and creates music.  Also on deck was two-time BAFTA award winner and veteran screen composer David Hirschfelder, who most recently crafted the score for Escape from Pretoria, a thriller starring Daniel Radcliffe.

And former Warner Bros. Records, Virgin Records, and EMI North America president and CEO Phil Quartararo offered the invaluable insight and knowledge that comes with decades of music industry experience and success.

By describing their own realities in music, artists can define broad change.

Each of the Happy Hour participants acknowledged music’s unique, decidedly powerful ability to facilitate change and bolster worldwide movements.

“There’s always periods of music that are a reflection of what’s going on in the world at any given time,” said Phil Quartararo.

The longtime executive became aware of music’s ability to convey social shifts during the late 1970s, when he witnessed the disco era in his native New York. Though the music wasn’t Quartararo’s favorite, he immediately recognized its importance in capturing the mood and feeling of the time.  The dance-focused revolution allowed artists to relay their experiences and realities to anyone with (or around) a radio.

And besides defining movements as they occur, music trends, from disco to hair bands and grunge to contemporary pop, serve as a reference point for future artists and generations as they tell their own stories.

“It’ll be very interesting to see how this moment in time – the last few weeks – will be represented in the music that’s starting to come now,” concluded the former Warner Bros. Records head.

Authenticity is the key to resonating with listeners.

Billie Bodega concurred with Hirschfelder’s assessment that the best music – and the music that’s most likely to resonate with listeners and stir change – is that which artists create from the heart, establishing a personal connection with the work as opposed to recording solely in the pursuit of plays and profits.

And in doing so, the “Like Woah” singer described how her fellow artists can release music that elicits change and touches an abundance of fans.

When shopping for producers and collaborators, Bodega said she looks out for “certain key phrases” that tell her “this isn’t really going to be a great collaboration.”

“When someone starts saying, ‘We’re looking for a hit. We’re gonna make a hit.’ The second I hear that word, I automatically know we’re not really on the same wavelength. It is definitely a balancing act, with art and commerce, but if you go into the process knowing that you are looking for that result, whatever you come out with is inherently, in my opinion, not authentic.”

In an era where many define success exclusively by play counts and followers, there’s irrefutable value in the idea – the reassurance – that investing in the creative process and the art will ultimately bring about commercial results.

“I think if you’re being true to yourself as an artist, and you’re doing what you need to be doing, then out of that process, organically, you will eventually find your hit,” said Bodega.

Artists’ creative journeys help fans as they face personal change.

Artists’ creative journeys – the painstaking ways in which they translate their feelings and experiences into song – help fans as they face personal change. In this way, music impacts both broad social movements and personally significant happenings and obstacles.

“I think music has been and always will be a soundtrack of our lives,” said David Hirschfelder. “I also think it does have healing powers.”

Additionally, Hirschfelder noted that he felt music’s healing capabilities firsthand during his teenage years: “I think music actually gave me an incredible sense of power, self-esteem, joy, and the ability to express . . . I think it got me through my teens for sure.”

And in aiding the Oscar nominee in his battle against personal challenges, music also enabled him to reach others yet; to assist them through life’s most trying periods, so that they too can proceed to experience its highs.

No other form of media has the ability to define far-reaching social shifts and, more intimately, help individuals put times of tumult in the rearview mirror.

Artists would do well to bear in mind this importance and potential as they create their own music.

Phil Quartararo perfectly summarized the point when identifying one thing he wished he’d known at the start of his immensely successful career.  “Composers are divinely inspired,” he said. “They’re different than everybody else walking around the planet. They need to be treated differently.”

The other panel members promptly nodded their heads in agreement.

Fans can catch the full replay of the Songtradr Happy Hour on YouTube. The next edition – scheduled for Thursday, June 25th – will cover the balance of branding and artistry.

Last month, music licensing and distribution platform Songtradr hosted a “Happy Hour” livestream event, during which three prominent music supervisors sipped their preferred beverages and discussed the music industry’s way forward amid the COVID-19 crisis. Now, in a recently-held second Happy Hour roundtable, Songtradr invited three new experts to discuss monetization tips for independent artists.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  

Digital Music News was on hand for the follow-up Happy Hour iteration, which welcomed Ashton Allen, Rabbit! band member and CEO of music production agency Rock Salt Music, as well as Berklee College of Music graduate and “Jealous of the Angels” singer/songwriter Jenn Bostic.  Also on hand was marketing professional Seth Combs, who helped launch Beats by Dre and who serves as CMO of Sessions Live, a cutting-edge virtual-music platform.

Songtradr’s Victoria Wiltshire moderated the hour-long conversation, and thanks to the participants’ unique perspectives and invaluable experiences, viewers were provided with no shortage of useful monetization knowledge.

Prioritize Sync Licensing – But Don’t Force Deals

All three of the Happy Hour speakers are aware of the substantial potential profit and exposure that sync licensing offers.

But as the co-founder and operator of a firm that specializes in linking adverts with well-suited music (and a man who’s facilitated sync deals with Verizon, Vans, Samsung, and The Walking Dead), Ashton Allen’s opinion of sync and its outlook carries particular weight.

In this vein, the Rock Salt Music chief bluntly reiterated what many artists and industry specialists have long known: “Sync is one of the few ways to make a decent living or a decent income in music.”

But the key to maximizing sync deals and income, according to Allen, is being authentic and creating from the heart, as opposed to crafting tracks with the sole intention of closing sync agreements.

However, Allen proceeded to indicate that authenticity and fun aren’t mutually exclusive. As the duo Rabbit!, he and his musical partner, Devin Moore, have worked tirelessly to produce hopeful, energetic tracks – while assuring that they have a pleasant time with the process.

“We’re just enjoying making music,” noted Allen in describing his creative successes, as compared to the relative lack of success he had as part of a label-signed band during the 1990s.

Resonate with Fans – in Music and in Life – to Boost Long-Term Reach and Income

Similarly, each of the Songtradr Happy Hour participants acknowledged the considerable perks of resonating with fans – and not solely by posting on social media.

Naturally, as a successful, active artist, Jenn Bostic’s insight on the matter proved particularly enlightening.

First, the 34-year-old emphasized the importance of connecting with fans through music, agreeing with Allen that songwriting and stylistic authenticity are integral.

“I feel like naturally you’re going to connect [with fans] as an artist if you’re being vulnerable,” said the Philadelphia native. “If you’re writing from the heart, they’re [the fans are] gonna like your music.”

Bostic also relayed that she herself had failed to write from the heart early in her career – and that she made a change when bringing “Jealous of the Angels” to life. The heartfelt track was inspired by the passing of Bostic’s father, and it’s the most popular work she’s released to date precisely because it makes an impression upon listeners and fans.

On the topic of social media, Bostic, like Seth Combs, maintained that platforms are a means of becoming closer with fans – not an end in themselves. Artists who’ve developed a following but haven’t yet achieved widespread popularity should make a point of responding to fan messages, per Bostic, as opposed to simply posting about new releases and performances.

And that’s because any listener who enjoys a song so much that they contact its creator will probably become a supporter with a bit of interaction.

Appearance and Outreach Are Everything – Especially During Livestreams

Seth Combs doubled down on the idea of social media platforms being tools, not solutions – “TikTok is not your answer to becoming a star, it’s a medium to connect with fans” – and on the potential associated with livestreaming.

“You can be making money from livestreaming,” he said. “That’s what we [Sessions Live] do every day.”

Perhaps the most significant contributor to success, though, is presenting oneself to fans in an accessible fashion; of inviting them into one’s own world and capitalizing upon the inherent advantages of a personalized connection.

Expanding on the point, Combs told the story of a Romanian artist who works with his company. She’d spent many years honing her music skills, but was still having an immensely difficult time attracting livestream viewers. The up-and-coming artist went as far as stating that YouTube “hated her.”

But after aligning with Sessions Live, this same musician began earning $2,000 or so per week for just three hours of livestreaming. The income hike resulted not from a reinvention of the artist’s style, but from a few tweaks to her appearance and fan-outreach practices.

“It’s your ability between songs to connect, to interact with fans, that will truly transform your career,” declared Combs. “Let the fan fall in love with you, because that’s where the true connection happens.”

Possibly the most noteworthy element of this Songtradr Happy Hour event was the universally applicable nature of its information and knowledge; it’s rare to happen upon one-size-fits-all advice in the music world, which is comprised of a variety of individuals, styles, and fans.

But regardless of whether an artist is just starting out or has been developing for multiple years – regardless of a professional’s genre, location, and goals – the disclosed monetization tips are sure to be helpful.

Fans can catch the full replay of Songtradr’s Happy Hour on YouTube. The next edition – scheduled for Thursday, June 11th – will be titled Music Through the Ages: Soundtrack or Catalyst for Change?

Between the postponement of most every crowd-based concert and the temporary closure of virtually all recording studios, as well as seemingly everything else, the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis’ impact on the music industry has been unprecedented, to say the least. So how are three of the top music supervisors in the industry making things work?

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  

Now, as many states and countries take preliminary steps to reopen their economies and resume semi-normal operations, artists are wondering more than ever what their near-term career prospects and earning potential will look like – not to mention how long it will take music to offer the same number of opportunities as it did pre-pandemic.

To provide artists and professionals with the answers and insight they need during this trying time, leading music licensing platform Songtradr recently hosted a “Happy Hour” roundtable event. Digital Music News was on-hand for the hour-long livestream, which invited three prominent music supervisors to enjoy their favorite beverages while discussing what music looks like from their perspective — particularly in terms of sync — and what they believe is on the horizon.

Emmy Award-winning music supervisor Evyen Klean, whose full-service music supervision firm, Neophonic Music & Media, is the “de facto music company for HBO,” sipped an (unspecified) white wine throughout the discussion.

Hated Industries founder Todd Porter, who’s placed numerous artists in adverts and launched no shortage of careers, enjoyed what appeared to be an independent-label beer.

25-year music industry veteran and current Songs for Film & T.V. chief creative director David Fisher, whose team has struck deals with the likes of Google, PlayStation, and Apple, opted for a hot beverage – though, the quick-moving conversation didn’t allow him to specify which.

And Songtradr founder Paul Wiltshire stayed refreshed with a gin & tonic balanced with La Croix sparkling water as he moderated.

Film and Television Production Has Ground to a Halt – But Sync Opportunities Won’t Disappear

Klean, with his direct, almost unprecedented connection to HBO and the television industry, confirmed what most fans and professionals already knew: “Once things got locked down, pretty much anything that was in pre-production, or anything in production, got shut down.”

And that means artists have fewer film and television sync opportunities available to them presently – a point that bears mentioning because sync can provide big-name and independent acts alike with major paydays and invaluable exposure.

But the silver lining, according to Klean, is that once film and TV production does resume, sync should pick up close to where it left off:

“I would have to say that the trend, even pre-pandemic, for so much content, so many streaming services, so many different platforms, has created quite a big demand for film composers, for writing songs,” and for all of music’s other talented professionals.

Although the going is tough currently, film and television’s sync potential will ultimately reignite; leading video streaming platforms have gained subscribers during the pandemic.

Until then, the continued strength of advertising-based sync should pick up a sizable portion of the slack.

Advertising’s Tone Has Shifted, But Its Volume (and Total Sync Deals) Has Held Strong

Despite the dramatic downturn in TV and film production, advertisements are just as popular as ever – even if their general tone has shifted.

“It [advertising production] hasn’t slowed down, but the context has changed,” Porter indicated.

Predictably, footage of large, intimate groups elicits a unique blend of feelings, ranging from nostalgia to unease, and does little to inspire confidence in the company at hand. These commercials have chiefly been put on ice, per Fisher and Porter, and more understanding, supportive adverts have supplanted them.

Fisher stated that Songs for Film & T.V. has been “extraordinarily busy,” because “brands have a need to share some compassion” through commercials.

Undoubtedly, advertisements’ generally short length and comparatively simple production process are well-suited for remote collaboration and creation. Thanks to the possibilities set forth by tech and ongoing demand from advertisers, artists still have a very real opportunity to nab sync contracts – and paychecks – amid the novel coronavirus crisis.

That said, Porter doesn’t believe that artists should intentionally alter their songs’ style in an attempt to “fit” the present day’s mood and enhance their sync prospects.

“This [the COVID-19 crisis] isn’t gonna last forever,” Porter noted in describing why artists should focus on expanding (not limiting) their new tracks’ reach – a point that Digital Music News explored in detail, albeit for different reasons, pre-pandemic.

Despite Today’s Challenges, Music – And Artists – Will Bounce Back

For the music industry, today’s challenges are more substantial than those that accompanied the 2008 financial crisis. Times are difficult all around and, to be sure, many artists are asking not when they’ll be able to continue doing what they love most, but if they’ll be able to continue doing so.

However, all three of the Happy Hour music supervisors remain confident that better things are on the horizon.

Technology is making it possible to create, perform, and earn from home. Streaming revenue and promotion (admittedly, the former leaves much to be desired) is beneficial, and on a grander scale, income-wise, so are sync deals. Via live streaming and social media, artists are staying in touch with their supporters.

Fisher, who signed three major record deals during his career as an artist, summed up these often-overlooked perks with a question: “What if it was 1982 right now?”

Fisher, Klean, and Porter might not have known it, but in connecting via webcam for the roundtable discussion, they also highlighted the music industry’s greatest strengths: creativity and innovation.

Unable to meet in person, the music supervisors simply met from their offices.

That’s because music’s artists and professionals are among the world’s most outside-the-box thinkers. They’ve overcome small and large problems alike in their quest to deliver entertainment, and not even a global pandemic can extinguish their limitless desire to collaborate, work, and bring joy to fans.

“Creators need to create. You can’t stop creating,” said Fisher. “It’s impossible.”

Artists are still creating. And every day they do so, they move one step closer to winning the battle against COVID-19.

Here’s the full session.

While most new productions are presently at a standstill, the broader production of visual media, including film, television, commercials, and video games, continues to explode. For artists stuck in isolation, this could be the perfect time to set up a sync licensing machine.

Unsurprisingly, streaming platforms like Netflix have exploded in popularity during lockdowns.  But this story was growing before everyone was trapped inside.  And as the reach of on-demand platforms and the internet continues to expand, so too has the demand (and market) for soundtracks, theme songs, adverts, and other forms of sync music.

For those just tuning in to this opportunity, sync licenses refer to the deals struck by content creators with artists and songwriters where songs are featured in visual media. Whether a track is played during a pivotal scene or the end credits, a sync deal makes the placement happen. These deals are negotiated directly, which typically means money up front at a mutually agreed upon price.

Importantly, artists get more out of sync than upfront payments. A long list of songs have become hits after carefully planned sync deals, though music supervisors (those who select works for visual media and finalize agreements) are generally responsible for assuring a track’s suitability for the content and the scene at hand. But that often translates into a solid fit for a ready demographic, which means that up-and-coming musicians and established stars alike have a chance to enjoy the fruits of sync.

But if nabbing sync deal after sync deal was easy, everyone would be doing it. As it is, sync-seeking musicians must take success-minded steps to stand out from the crowd for the right reasons. To help them do so, Digital Music News and Songtradr have published several guides and tutorials.

Most recently, we provided an in-depth look at effective ways of maximizing sync revenue and closing as many agreements as possible. Before that, we explored the steps (and payoff) associated with creating an artist website.

And in this piece, we’ll detail the substantial benefits of positioning music directly on artist websites, by utilizing Songtradr’s embedded player.

This innovation is likely to help artists maximize sync opportunities from potential licensees. Until Songtradr developed and debuted a sync-specific embedded player, artists didn’t have a method for prominently positioning their music on websites and facilitating efficient, uncomplicated licensing deals.

That’s because music-sharing platforms and music streaming services offer just portions of a sync-friendly embedded player.

SoundCloud, for instance, has made waves with its embedded function, but the tool lacks a licensing prompt — a way for music supervisors to take concrete steps towards locking down deals with artists. Similarly, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube are equipped with embedding, sampling, and data features, but they too fail to give music supervisors a simple starting point for executing licensing deals.

And so, the opportunity for a music supervisor to identify a sync-suitable track via a sleek embedded player, before clicking to begin the licensing process, seems like a nice idea.

There’s no telling how many sync deals have been disrupted as music supervisors navigated from a streaming platform, to a website (or possibly a search engine), and finally to a contact page (if it exists), only to wait for a response. Worse yet, career-altering inquiries could get lost in inboxes, and some music supervisors could abandon the outreach effort if they can’t quickly connect with the artist they want to work with.

Even if one of your tracks fits a film, television show, or other project perfectly, it’s all too possible to lose a deal because of wholly avoidable communication hiccups and negotiation delays.

These are the missed chances that Songtradr aims to eliminate with its embedded player.

Songtradr’s embedded player enables artists to optimize their digital presence and more effectively negotiate sync deals. It doesn’t take much time to set up.

The process’ first step is, simply enough, to navigate to the Songtradr page that corresponds with the track you’d like to embed; you can select individual songs through the “My Songs” tab.

(click to enlarge)

Next, you’ll need to click the blue “embed” button on the screen’s right-hand side. Songtradr’s embedded-player pop-up menu will then appear.

(click to enlarge)

Via this pop-up menu, you can customize elements of your embedded player, including its size and the type of website where it will appear.

(click to enlarge)

From there, installing your Songtradr embedded player is a matter of copying and pasting the corresponding HTML code (shown in the previous image’s “embed code” box) and tailoring the tool’s appearance to suit your preferences.

After clicking the “license” option on your embedded player, prospective customers will be directed to the corresponding song page on Songtradr and prompted to specify the type of visual media they intend to feature the work in.

(click to enlarge)

Lastly, buyers need only add the work to their cart and complete Songtradr’s checkout process.

With Songtradr’s embedded player, music supervisors can conceivably find your song, listen to it, and license it — not by scouring the web and partaking in an extensive back-and-forth dialogue, but by reaching your website and clicking the “license” option. In this way, the tool brings sync embedding into the digital age.

Maximizing your sync licensing opportunities and earnings.

As mentioned, our (recently published) guide to securing sync deals is filled with useful knowledge and insight, and if you haven’t given it a read, you should absolutely do so. But based specifically upon Songtradr’s embedded player, there’re a few additional steps that you can take to maximize your sync opportunities and earnings.

First, make sure your website is up-to-date and easily navigable. The Songtradr embedded player handles a lot of the work, of course, but the quicker a music supervisor finds it, the quicker he or she will be able to get the ball rolling on a deal. There are endless reasons to bolster your website’s quality, and few reasons to delay doing so.

Next, take steps to monitor and respond to songs’ relative success. If one of your tracks performs well in terms of views, plays, and sync, determine what the work does right and how this strength (or strengths) can be implemented in future music. Songtradr’s listenership data relays immensely important lessons; failing to utilize this knowledge is where many musicians go wrong.

Finally, you should use today’s sync-licensing results to shape tomorrow’s broader sync-licensing strategy—and you needn’t reinvent the wheel when doing so. If your new release attracts more listens and sync deals, you’re on the right professional track, and you’d be wise to take additional, similar steps. If something works—be it a song, an album, a website, or a promotion—it’s worth capitalizing on.

In short, Songtradr’s embedded player renders sync deal-making more straightforward than ever before. For artists, this new-and-improved process means that there’s less red tape to worry about—and a greater potential for profit and exposure.

Adapted from an image by Alexey Hulsov.

How is the sync music sector adapting to life under COVID-19? We asked two leading pros in the space for their survival strategies and assessments of the situation.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  

The music industry is a diverse and complex ecosystem, and nearly every corner of this business has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  That includes the area of music synchronization, where marrying song with action is the name of the game. On-demand video consumption is surging — that’s the good part.  But many productions are now on pause, which means schedules are frozen and critical sync music placements are getting delayed. Meanwhile, advertisers are completely realigning their approaches.

So what happens next, and more importantly, what’s the best way for dealing with right now? We asked two leading sync professionals for their on-the-ground assessment of the disruption, and strategies for dealing with it all.

Alec Stern

Alec Stern, Director of Music, DDB

As the Director of Music for the global agency DDB, Alec oversees music for the likes of Miller Lite, McDonald’s, Skittles, The U.S. Army, Coors Lite, and many others. With a background in both music supervision and composition, Alec has licensed some of the biggest songs in music history, working with the likes of Prince, Whitney Houston, John Williams, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and The Beatles.

DMN: COVID-19 is obviously shaking up numerous music industry sectors — how is this impacting you?

Alec: I’m lucky to be healthy and working during this time, where so many are finding their lives upside down right now. During this challenging time, everyone is being impacted in some way and the music industry is definitely not being spared. I’ve gotten emails from friends who are artists, tour managers, agents, licensing representatives, and supervisors who are suddenly finding themselves out of work due to this current climate. It’s a scary time for a lot of people, and I’ve been doing my best to practice gratitude for my own situation while also doing what I can to help those in need.

As a music fan first-and-foremost, it’s obviously always been important to me to support artists — it’s why I do what I do and that will always be the most gratifying part of being a music supervisor in my book. But it’s easy to get stuck in old habits and give less thought and attention to independent recording and touring artists in favor of chasing famous songs or easier clearances. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that — everyone grinding in this incredible industry of ours is worthy of getting the work they are able to get, regardless of their size — but after all of this began, I’ve found myself really realigning and focusing on trying to work with artists directly since they arguably are the ones in the industry being hit hardest right now.

I know too many musicians whose entire year’s income went up in flames because live performances have been halted; I want to do something to help their situation. I’ve found myself really reinvigorated by finding more unknown independent talent to pitch for the projects I’m working on. Knowing that by putting an independent musician’s music in a commercial I’m working on could help offset some of the worry they are feeling right now with how they are going to survive in this current climate, it’s honestly given me a creative recharge I didn’t realize I needed. I’m finding a real sense of purpose in what I’m doing right now. It’s not saving the world by any stretch of the imagination, but if it’s helping anybody, it feels more worthwhile than ever.

DMN: How are you (and your business) adapting?

Alec: The clients I work with have all had to completely rethink their entire marketing and brand strategies during this time. Everyone seems to be aligned to the idea of wanting to do something, but what that looks like will vary from client to client, and that’s a good thing. Overall, I’ve been excited to be working on a lot of projects with real positive intention behind them, and projects that are being executed in inspiring ways.

As for me, I’m just working to remain creatively engaged and responsible during this time. I’m trying to focus my energy on the ways I can use my resources to help others. I want to help; whether it’s making connections on a personal level, to allocating a greater percentage of the songs I pitch to independent artists, I want to be able to say I used my resources to help make some small dent of a difference.

DMN: How do you see things for the industry — and sync music in particular — progressing in the short and long term as a result of all this?

Alec: I think for a while, we will see a turn away from the flashy “look at me” mentality that is always going to be a part of advertising, in favor of a quieter, more human approach. I think there is going to be a desire to tell human stories and find emotional common ground. And if done respectfully and with real tangible action to back it up, I think this is nothing but a wonderfully positive direction for things to be heading in. This is, of course, a very thin tightrope to walk for many brands, and we will see some do it more effectively than others. But my hope is that in the rush to join this larger cultural conversation, one that in one way or another does really affect everybody, brands and marketers at large will take the time to be thoughtful and meaningful in how they are communicating.

In terms of music, we’ve already seen a massive uptick in brands using extremely famous songs in their COVID responses, which I think makes a lot of sense. I think you will continue to see artists of all sizes and levels of fame wanting to get involved in some way or another, and often the way to do that is by saying yes to a sync request. That’s how something like David Bowie’s “Heroes” can wind up in a major brand spot right now — if the message is right and if the brand is seemingly doing good for communities in need during this time, I think you will see more artists or estates saying yes when maybe previously that wouldn’t have been the case. I think there is a shared responsibility and desire to help, and if brands and artists can find ways to collaboratively give back, even if it’s just making people feel good for a second with the pairing of a great song with a great message, it’s something worth doing.

DMN: Can you share a story of the community coming together to help fight this?

Alec: My faith in music, musicians, and my friends in the industry has been reaffirmed many times over in the last several weeks. I’m seeing people use their gifts as a way to bring people comfort and create connections during this time of isolation. I’ve seen GoFundMe pages for musicians who are ill, many of whom don’t have adequate health insurance. I’ve seen major music software companies, streaming services, and even local studios give products and services away for free or at heavily reduced rates to give people stuck at home something that will bring them new creative outlets.

We all came together to mourn and remember John Prine through written testimonials and achingly beautiful covers. Musicians I know personally have been holding livestreamed tutorials and Q&As about what they do, just as a way to share their knowledge and gifts with anyone interested. Fun dance and singing challenges have been started on Instagram. Virtual release parties and listening sessions have been held. Quarantine playlists have been shared. And while we’ve only just begun hearing it, I have no doubt some absolutely incredible music is being made right now all over the globe from artists we love, and many who are finding their voice for the first time right now. Some of this obviously makes a larger impact than others, but in this time of isolation, it’s been extremely heartwarming to see so much connection being made through music right now, although I would have expected nothing less.

Robert Safir

Robert Safir: Recording Professional, Library Owner, Producer, TV Composer

Robert Safir’s multi-decade music career has successfully straddled both the business and creative sides. He founded the illustrious Track Record Studios in Los Angeles, has authored numerous books for creative professionals, and was a longtime producer for a number of critically-acclaimed artists. On the sync music side, he’s composed for shows appearing on ABC Television, The Discovery Channel, E! Entertainment, The Biography Channel, BET, The Learning Channel, Spike TV, and others.

DMN: COVID-19 is obviously shaking up numerous music industry sectors — how is this impacting you?

Robert: The most obvious way is that social distancing makes working with others very difficult. Sure, working virtually over the internet is possible, but one-on-one or group sessions are not possible. Of course, the stereotype of the composer is the ‘lonely guy’ sitting at his workstation and recording track after track, and that remains true – not a lot of interaction is required. But the real impact is with opportunity. Because everything is virtually shut down, there’s not a lot of activity taking place in composing and placing music. Some of my contacts are not even in the office. Until some semblance of “normalcy” (whatever that is) resumes, I don’t expect a lot of royalties to be coming in.

DMN: How are you (and your business) adapting?

Robert: There’s nothing that I personally can do, except keep on composing. That’s how I created my own library of cues in the first place. There are way too many unknowns at this point to make deals, create goals for the future, plan ahead – and so on. We don’t know how long this situation is going to last and we don’t know how the world will look afterward. So for me, it’s back to the basics – writing, recording, producing, and listening to music – until I get a sense of either a new direction or a return to the way things were done before the pandemic.

DMN: How do you see things for the industry — and sync music in particular — progressing in the short and long term as a result of all this?

Robert: As far as adjusting to sync music licensing scenarios, I can say this.  I am usually an optimist. I look for solutions whenever possible. When it comes to what’s going to happen with sync music licensing, etc., I’m becoming a little more skeptical than usual.

The reason is that production has come to a virtual standstill. Movies, television, live concerts, even bars – no music is being played. I oversee a few music libraries, and I’m concerned that a lot of music won’t be picked up if there’s nowhere to place it. Further, if production companies can license music they’ve already paid for through blanket licensing, etc., they will lean toward using those cues rather than anything new.

Out front licensing fees have been dismal for a long time. You can have a contract that states the publisher will split advances between themselves and the writer. But with the vast competition in the music business, publishers realized some time ago that they can get away with not offering sync licensing advances altogether.  Obviously, there are exceptions to this – for example, A-listers like Hans Zimmer and others who can still get pretty much what they want. But the little guy? Not so much.

Let’s face it – it’s almost impossible to paint a rosy picture of the future if, in fact, we don’t even know if movie theaters are going to survive this pandemic. AMC is already considering bankruptcy. Production companies may lack new funding. And offering new movies-on-demand or for streaming is fine. But Universal Pictures, as an example, is going to charge $20 a pop for renting a newer movie. They must not be following the news.  People are unemployed by the millions, many needing food and supplies. At best, even when affordable, people have to fork over $6 or $7 bucks for a rental. For Universal and others to say ‘Yes, but you can rent it before or while it’s in theaters’ is ridiculous if it’s not showing in theaters at all!

All of these issues are related. Anyone who really knows what’s going to happen is either lying or smoking too much weed. The future is as uncertain as ever. We all have to keep truckin’ and groovin’ and moving forward.  The best way at a minimum is to keep writing and composing and don’t give up.

Someday, with any luck, all of this will be a distant memory.

photo: Obi Onyeador

As COVID-19 continues to spread, lockdowns and large-gathering bans have brought live entertainment — from concerts to sporting events — to a screeching halt. Sync powerhouse Songtradr is now part of the growing recovery effort to help affected artists.

Billions are being impacted worldwide by this pandemic, though musicians and artists are absorbing a substantial portion of COVID-19’s economic ramifications. Local acts and international stars alike depend on live gigs to pay the bills, and thousands of artists are facing dire financial consequences because they’re unable to play before audiences.

Thankfully, artists and others dependent on live-touring revenues are starting to get some help, with numerous companies, trade organizations, and fellow artists chipping in. That includes a growing number of platforms that facilitate non-touring revenue opportunities, including synchronization licensing for film, TV, advertising, gaming, and other video content.

Sync is now emerging as one opportunity for artists to earn non-touring, ‘isolation’ revenues.

With at-home streaming services like Netflix and Hulu surging, artists potentially have the opportunity to enjoy longer-term royalties from successful song placements. Immediate production schedules have been disrupted, though broader demand for visual media is growing, all of which offers hope of downstream revenues for composing artists.

Thankfully, large portions of the sync licensing process can be conducted while artists are isolated. Person-to-person contact is useful in the contract negotiation process, though the finer points of sync agreements can normally be hammered out remotely. Moreover, sync licensing platforms like Songtradr further simplify matters by connecting artists and sync agents over an easy-to-use platform.

Suddenly, this is a sector in a unique position to aid artists.

Against this backdrop, Songtradr has waived its commissions through April 18th, thereby affording creators additional financial resources and helping them through today’s difficulties and uncertainty.

Given the platform’s high transaction volume and its considerable number of negotiated sync licenses, foregoing fees could have a big impact on Songtradr’s earnings. But the decision was clearly made with artists in mind.

Songtradr CEO Paul Wiltshire is not only spearheading the initiative, he’s also on the horn getting the word out. Of course, we were more than happy to spread the news of the commission-free opportunity.

“With live performances canceled and no definitive end in sight, independent artists and musicians all around the world are suffering,” Wiltshire said. “These artists who make up our community have continued to support us through our journey. Now it’s time for us to step up and support them in a big way.”

For those wanting to take advantage of the offer, simply get started at songtradr.com.

Songtradr is one of the early movers on this front, though thankfully, they’re not operating alone.

Despite the serious impact on artists and broader world economies, the coronavirus crisis hasn’t come without a proverbial silver lining — however slim it may appear at the moment. Local communities are uniting to overcome the virus, and elements of the music industry, including fans, artists, companies, and groups, are supporting one another.

In the past ten days alone, numerous charitable efforts have popped up to help affected artists. The Recording Academy and its charitable organization, MusiCares, have donated $2 million to COVID-19 relief and expect to hold multiple fundraisers in the near future. Additionally, Rihanna and her charity, the Clara Lionel Foundation, have pledged $5 million to an array of on-the-ground COVID-19 treatment and relief groups.

Los Angeles’ AFM Local 47, a musicians’ union, has established a coronavirus relief fund to benefit members, and Bandcamp temporarily waived its fees to put more money into artists’ pockets. Bandsintown, a platform normally dedicated to posting touring itineraries, has created a “Watch Live” feature to help musicians promote their livestream performances.

Elsewhere, online platforms like Twitch are providing a natural alternative for artists to showcase in front of fans — and collect money while doing it. When the virus finally passes, many artists may have developed an alternative (and additive) revenue stream.

In the face of the crisis, many artists are shifting their focus to non-performance revenue streams, including live-streaming, selling merchandise, releasing music, and securing licensing agreements like sync deals.

Hopefully, that’s helping to lessen the sting from coronavirus cancellations, with charitable companies contributing what they can to get musicians through.

Artists themselves are also helping fans through the coronavirus crisis, and fans, for their part, are aiding artists with their continued support.

Well-known stars have encouraged the public to practice social distancing and adhere to health professionals’ guidelines, with self-quarantining perhaps the most significant of these recommendations.

Needless to say, it’s extremely difficult for fans and artists alike to remain indoors, leaving home only for essential trips. To alleviate some of the stress created by self-quarantining (and possibly enjoy financial relief from tips), many artists are live-streaming performances free of charge.

Perhaps offering a splash of comic relief, Neil Diamond just repurposed his timeless hit, ‘Sweet Caroline,’ to include a decidedly ‘non-touchy’ tone. That includes a comically reworked lyric of “Hands, washing hands/ Reaching out/Don’t touch me, I won’t touch you.”

Elsewhere, the Dropkick Murphys proceeded with their much-anticipated St. Patrick’s Day concert, though the show lacked a physical crowd. That’s not to say that the band went without an audience; viewers across the world experienced the high-octane setlist from the comfort of home, on their computers and smartphones.

Ultra Miami organizers canceled their fan-favorite festival to protect would-be attendees and staff. Still, the show went on, as SiriusXM delivered a virtual edition of the event to fans.

Health officials are admittedly unsure how long the coronavirus pandemic will rage on, though countries like China and South Korea are already reporting substantial drops in cases.

Regardless of the health calamity’s duration, artists may at least have the opportunity to connect with fans – and stay financially afloat – remotely. The reality is far from ideal, though the importance of using alternatives cannot be understated.

It’s also worth noting that artists are engaging in “isolated” collaborations and production initiatives – connecting with fellow music professionals and creating new, exciting material. We’ll be covering more on this front in the coming days, though technology and ingenuity are at least making it possible for artists to use this trying time until they’re able to entertain live crowds once again.

Until that day, it’s imperative that fans, artists, companies, and organizations support one another in every possible way. Small and large efforts – tuning into an artist’s live-stream or waiving all commission fees, like Songtradr has – will have an overall positive influence and will greatly assist those who eat, sleep, and breathe music.

Daniel Craig as 007 — with Billie Eilish playing the tune.

Sync music licensing — the process that allows music to complement visual media, including film, commercials, television, and more —remains a viable opportunity for today’s artists. Here’s a wrap of the biggest sync deals of late.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  

From video-streaming platforms like Netflix to blockbuster movies, as well as a whole lot in between, contemporary demand for media means that world-famous artists and up-and-coming acts alike still have opportunities to get paid. The right placement can also spread a track around the world while garnering newfound fans.

Sync remains a potentially growing license for artists over the long-term, thanks partly to a surge of on-demand video content. To give fans, artists, and creative professionals alike a feel for the sync industry’s current mood and long-term direction, here’s a rundown of the sphere’s noteworthy recent deals and media placements.

______________________________________________

No Time to Die

Track: “No Time to Die”

Artist: Billie Eilish

Placement: Main Theme

18-year-old Billie Eilish is the youngest artist ever to create a James Bond theme song. She and Finneas, her brother and longtime collaborator, worked together to craft “No Time to Die,” which will be prominently featured in the 25th 007 film.

Unfortunately, this much-anticipated Bond entry’s release date has been pushed back to November 25th as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

______________________________________________

Gentefied

Track: “Sabor A Mi”

Artist: Nomadsplace and Jessi Campo

Placement: Gentefied, Season 1, Episode 3: “Bad Hombres”

Netflix comedy-drama series Gentefied debuted last month, and this initial season’s third episode features a custom cover of “Sabor A Mi.”

Songtradr coordinated Nomadsplace and Jessi Campo’s cover of the track, and the director of Gentefied’s third episode, America Ferrera, enjoyed the song so much that she sent a personal note of thanks.

Additionally, Songtradr closed a sync deal for Gentefied’s second episode, “Bail Money,” which features Adee’s “World on Fire.”

In 2015, “World on Fire” was nominated for the “Best Single” award at the prestigious Scandinavian Soul Music Awards.

______________________________________________

Amazon’s “Life Before Alexa”

Track: “Yeah!”

Artist: Usher

Amazon’s popular “Life Before Alexa” commercial series debuted during Super Bowl LIV. Besides featuring a cameo from Ellen DeGeneres, the original commercial boasted a well-timed sync of Usher and Ludacris’s timeless “Yeah!” track. 

Usher has sold approximately 75 million records to date and is one of the most commercially successful artists of all time. 

______________________________________________

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 

Track: “This Feeling”

Artist: Jessie Poland

Placement: Season 4, Episode 16: “I Have a Date Tonight”

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend was critically acclaimed throughout its four-season run. The final season’s 16th episode, “I Have a Date Tonight,” was directed by series star Rachel Bloom’s husband, Dan Gregor.

Jessie Poland’s “This Feeling” appeared in the episode. The 32-year-old, now known professionally as Jessica Vaughn, competed on the second season of The Voice.

______________________________________________

Audi’s “Let it Go”

Track: “Let it Go”

Artist: Idina Menzel (Cover Performed by Maisie Williams)

Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams made waves by covering Frozen’s “Let it Go” in an Audi commercial, which debuted at Super Bowl LIV.

Last year, Williams launched Daisie, a free-to-use networking app that connects creative professionals, including musicians, artists, filmmakers, and more.

______________________________________________

Macy’s “Switch it Up” Commercial

Track: Untitled—Custom-Recorded by Macy’s

Artist: N/A

It’s unclear who recorded the ultra-catchy song for Macy’s “Switch it Up” commercial, but the track seems destined to get stuck in quite a few listeners’ heads.

Moreover, it’s possible that the artist’s (or artists’) information will come to light in the near future. In the meantime, check out a repeat version of the song here.

______________________________________________

Fantasy Island

Track: “Shuffle Shuffle”

Artist: Madison Mars

A horror re-imagining of and prequel to the beloved 1977 television show of the same name, Fantasy Island was released in February 2020 and performed well at the box office.

Estonia’s Madison Mars, a skillful DJ, and producer, has made a name for himself as the creator of exhilarating beats and quick-moving dance tracks.  Mars also hosts a popular podcast, House of Mars.

______________________________________________

Apple’s “AirPods Pro: Snap”

Track: “The Difference”

Artist: Flume feat. Toro y Moi

Apple’s new (extremely catchy) AirPods Pro commercial, entitled “Snap,” has been synced with “The Difference” by Flume and Toro y Moi.

This year, Flume, who is a native of Australia, saw his Hi This is Flume mixtape nominated for a “Best Dance/Electronic Album” Grammy Award.

______________________________________________

Polo Ralph Lauren’s “Deep Blue”

Track: “Come Fly with Me”

Artist: Ruelle

Ruelle’s new, exciting take on Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly with Me” does well to complement the breathtaking shades featured in Polo Ralph Lauren’s carefully shot “Deep Blue” advert.

Ruelle has secured an array of sync deals, with popular television shows like Dynasties and Shadowhunters featuring her tracks in their opening themes.

Photo: Avel Chuklanov

Sync licensing—the process through which television, film, advertising, and other visual-media professionals feature songs in their works—provides all artists, from internationally beloved stars to behind-the-scenes composers, with a shot to achieve both substantial revenues and broader audience exposure.

The following was created with the support of Songtradr, part of a broader partnership focused on the sync licensing space.  

On-demand video platforms, including Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Amazon, in coordination with a bigger-than-ever film industry and a staggering quantity of advertisements, mean that artists have more than a few opportunities to cash in on — and benefit from — sync. In short, a larger amount of visual-media content grants artists more paths to commercial and financial achievement.

Because sync licensing is evolving rapidly and is different from other types of music licensing, artists stand to benefit from quality advice and useful facts.

For those just getting started on this important licensing area, we’d recommend our quick primer.  If you’re familiar with the basics and rolling up your sleeves — or redoubling your efforts in sync — these tips will help.

The following information sheds some light on the ins-and-outs of sync.  Throughout, we focus on meaningful, success-minded steps that artists can take to gain from this potential licensing opportunity.

Optimize Your Songs’ Metadata—Including Contact Info

When it comes to sync, metadata is incredibly important, as it enables music supervisors—those whose job it is to zero in on and select suitable songs for visual-media projects—to quickly find and identify your work.

At a minimum this includes identifying  all composer and artist details, as well as any other  owners of the song (master and copyright). With competition stiff and song options vast, something as seemingly insignificant as ownership data could be the difference between nabbing a deal and being overlooked.

Depending on the platform you use, carefully and accurately selected descriptive and creative metadata such as genre, mood and theme, assist with your music’s discoverability.

Record Instrumental Versions and Obtain Stem Files

It’s always a good idea to record instrumental versions of your songs for sync licensing purposes. Even if your vocals “make” a track, the reality is that many projects — and, in turn, many music supervisors — call for instrumental-only files.

Similarly, stem recordings—those comprised of individual drum, guitar, bass, and vocal parts—are also worth having. Stem recordings allow certain portions of songs (including any combination of the mentioned parts) to be isolated, especially for use in visual media, and this freedom means that music supervisors will have more options at their disposal.

Be Professional When Communicating with Music Supervisors

Even if your music is featured on and available through a popular, trustworthy licensing platform like Songtradr, you may also speak with music supervisors—in person (at functions), over the phone, and via email.

And when you do so, it’s imperative that you be as professional—and respectful of their time as possible. Always bear in mind that you’re looking to forge long-term business relationships. Thus, being very mindful of a music supervisor’s time, and the relevance of your music to their needs is paramount. Music supervisors are constantly being pitched to and the relationships they value most, are those that consistently pitch well to their brief.

Remember the Basics

The basics—a solid website, a good social media presence, prompt communication practices, and easily accessible music, to name some—contribute to sync licensing success. Stated in brief, music supervisors are very, very busy; if they can’t license your music easily (clearing the rights and agreeing on license fees) they will seek another music solution.

Fine Print is Important; Don’t Sign Your Music Away

For more information on fine print, check out our in-depth article on this tip.  In summary, there are many online platforms with routine-seeming fine print, resulting in your uploaded music becoming someone else’s property. These companies and/or individuals may not need to even pay you royalties—or report to you when they’ve secured a sync license for one or more of your songs.

The significance of fine print cannot be understated; few platforms are as reliable as Songtradr, and one misplaced digital signature has the potential to negatively impact  your career.

Make Your Music Available on Spotify

With more than 250 million active users and over 35 million tracks to its credit, Spotify is, for better or worse, a major music industry asset. Many music supervisors visit the streaming platform to discover music, and others yet visit the platform to learn more about artists and their work.

Accordingly, artists who’re seeking sync success should make sure their music is on Spotify. It’s simple,and it may well lead to a major deal. Songtradr now has a distribution service allowing you to distribute and license your music from one location.

Consider the Emotional Impact of Your Music as a Listener

Just because a song is well-written, well-performed, and otherwise stellar, doesn’t mean that it’s a good fit for sync. To be featured in visual media, a track must contribute to the mood that the project’s creative professionals are aiming to establish.

With this in mind, be sure to consider the emotional impact of your music as a listener; try to visualize a song (or a song’s segment) working in a scene or a clip. Sync licenses aren’t awarded solely on the basis of overall quality, and some of the most sync-profitable songs would, admittedly, be hard-pressed to find radio airtime.

Step Outside of Your Stylistic Comfort Zone — Occasionally

Music supervisors do not discriminate when it comes to songs’ genres; so long as a work bolsters a visual media project’s mood and meets the expectations of its creators, it’ll be a possible fit.

However, it goes without saying that some music genres generally receive more sync demand; the average pop rock song could conceivably work in a variety of commercials, for instance, while the average death metal song will have a more limited range.

Whether you specialize in a “sync-favorable” genre or not, consider stepping out of your stylistic comfort zone on occasion (without abandoning the type of music that you most enjoy creating).

By crafting a diverse array of songs, you’ll have a greater chance of attracting the interest of a music supervisor.

Stick with It and Be Patient

‘Stick with it and be patient’ might seem like the sort of clichéd advice that’s issued only by mothers and two-dimensional film characters, but it bears repeating when it comes to sync. Yes, there’re a substantial number of sync licensing opportunities today, and yes, all signs indicate that the licensing sphere will grow in the coming years.

But if synchronization success was invariably quick and easy to achieve, everyone would be reaping the rewards. As it is, artists must take a multitude of steps towards meeting their goals as part of a cohesive, carefully organized strategy to obtain an edge in the long term.

Burt Bacharach plays for the crowd at the Guild of Music Supervisors 10th Annual Awards Ceremony (photo: Digital Music News)

Burt Bacharach received the prestigious Icon Award at the Guild of Music Supervisors 10th Annual Awards ceremony in Los Angeles last night. In a keynote, he offered some sage advice to the crowd of music supervisors.

DMN’s special coverage of the Guild of Music Supervisors 10th Annual Awards is made possible by Songtradr, a VIP sponsor of the event and supporter of the broader sync community.

Bacharach is not only a legendary musician and performer, he’s also a seasoned music supervisor. Accordingly, he had some comforting words of advice for the supervisor crowd on hand at the Guild of Music Supervisors awards showcase.

“I know what you guys are going through out there,” Bacharach said after receiving the Guild’s Icon Award. “A lot of things are out of your hands.”

Burt Bacharach (photo: GMS)

The comment drew rapturous applause from the supervisors attending the event — most of whom have toiled in the trenches of complex clearances and layers of approval.

Bacharach famously won Oscars for Best Original Song and Best Original Score for the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. But according to Bacharach, the lead song — “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” — almost got nixed from the film.

Actually, it’s surprising the classic — which practically made the film — got included. In a moment of candor that fits such a seasoned figure, Bacharach noted that half of the film’s board wanted the song removed — even Robert Redford failed to see the fit.

“I know what you guys are going through out there.”

Indeed, ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’ is a recurring theme for many music supervisors.  But that — and other occupational hazards encountered by supervisors — helped to create a sense of camaraderie at the event. It seemed that every conversation or acceptance speech included some hapless war story that was overcome — or, not overcome.

Legendary Canadian music supervisor Bob Hunka, who received the Guild’s Legend Award (after a warm introduction by Emmylou Harris), comically told stories of his early forays into music supervision. Well, it all sounds funny decades later, but Hunka quickly learned to grapple with impossible budgets, sometimes questionable production companies, and a distinct lack of job security.

“Composers sometimes have to deliver under impossible conditions,” Hunka said.

Other stories were equally relatable.

The team of David Taylor, Scott McDaniel, and Jonathan Wellbelove, who won Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Original Music) for their ‘Hokey Pokey’ Apple Watch commercial, described the sheer insanity of listening to ‘Hokey Pokey’ variations and edits thousands of times.

Anny Colvin, who won Best Music Supervision in a Trailer for her scoring of the Joker Teaser, described an enduringly awkward relationship with her parents. “My parents still don’t get what I do for a living,” Colvin said during her acceptance speech. “My father said he couldn’t wait until I won an Oscar.”

Actually, maybe that’s not so far-fetched. “Looking into the future, we hope that these awards will garner more attention from other institutions such as The Academy,” said Guild president Joel C. High.

Meanwhile, the bigger event was in the lobby.

That’s where hundreds of supervisors, composers, Hollywood producers, and artists networked intensely. This is a niche but powerful audience that drew some superstar attendees. Among the celebrities on hand were Michael Bolton, Regina Spektor, Reggie Watts, Kristen Chenoweth, former New York Giants linebacker Spencer Paysinger, and the aforementioned Emmylou Harris.

________________________________________

Here’s a complete list of the night’s winners.

Film

Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Over $25 Million

• Mary Ramos – Once Upon A Time In Hollywood *WINNER*
• Tom MacDougall – Frozen II
• Matt Sullivan – Aladdin
• Ted Caplan – Ford v Ferrari
• Randall Poster, Robbie Robertson – The Irishman

Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Under $25 Million

• Kier Lehman – Queen & Slim *WINNER*
• Trygge Toven, Toko Nagata – Always Be My Maybe
• Jason Markey – Hustlers
• Zoë Bryant, Pete Saville – Blinded By The Light
• Becky Bentham, Karen Elliott – Judy

Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Under $10 Million

• Meghan Currier, Randall Poster – Waves *WINNER*
• Henry Van Roden – Seberg
• Tracy McKnight – 5 Feet Apart
• Zachary Dawes – The Peanut Butter Falcon
• Steven Gizicki – Teen Spirit

Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Under $5 Million

• Terri D’Ambrosio – The Last Black Man In San Francisco *WINNER*
• Karen Elliott, Jack Arnold – Wild Rose
• Susan Jacobs, Dylan Neely – The Farewell
• Steve Bouyer Pascal Mayer – Atlantics
• Lynn Fainchtein – Gloria Bell

Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film

“One Little Soldier” from Bombshell *WINNER*

Writer: Regina Spektor

Performed By: Regina Spektor

Music Supervisor: Evyen Klean

“Spirit” from The Lion King

Writer: Beyoncé, IIya Salmanzadeh, Timothy Mckenzie

Performed By: Beyoncé

Music Supervisor: Mitchell Leib

“Into The Unknown” from Frozen II

Writer: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Performed by Idina Menzel featuring AURORA

Music Supervisor: Tom MacDougall

“Glasgow “(No Place Like Home) from Wild Rose

Writer: Caitlyn Smith, Kate York, Mary Steenburgen

Performed by Jessie Buckley

Music Supervisor: Karen Elliott

“Don’t Call Me Angel” from Charlie’s Angels

Writer: Alma-Sofia Miettinen, Ariana Grande, IIya Salmanzadeh, Elizabeth Grant, Max

Martin, Miley Cyrus, Savan Kotecha,

Performed by: Ariana Grande, Lana Del Rey, Miley Cyrus

Music Supervisor: Julianne Jordan and Julia Michels

Television

Best Music Supervision – Television Drama

• Adam Leber, Jen Malone – Euphoria – Season 1 *WINNER*
• Madonna Wade-Reed – All American – Season 1
• Ashley Neumeister – American Soul: The Untold Story of Soul Train – Season 1
• Steven Gizicki – Fosse/Verdon – Season 1
• Amanda Krieg Thomas, Alexis Martin Woodall & Ryan Murphy – Pose – Season 2

Best Music Supervision – Television Comedy or Musical

• Robin Urdang – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Season 2 *WINNER*
• Bruce Gilbert – GLOW – Season 3
• Javier Nuño, Joe Rodríguez – Los Espookys – Season 1
• Brienne Rose – Russian Doll – Season 1
• Matt Biffa – Sex Education – Season 1

Best Music Supervision – Reality Television

• Jill Meyers – Songland – Season 1 *WINNER*
• Robin Kaye – American Idol — Season 2
• Meryl Ginsberg – America’s Got Talent – Season 14
• Jen Schwartz, Catherine Wharton – Girls Cruise – Season 1
• Jon Ernst – The Hills: New Beginnings – Season 1

Best Music Supervision – Television Movie

• TIE (2 WINNERS)
  • Howard Paar – Native Son *WINNER*
  • Joe Rudge, Chris Swanson – The Dirt *WINNER*
• Evyen J Klean, Jennifer Reeve – Deadwood: The Movie
• Evyen J Klean, Janet Lopez – My Dinner With Hervé
• Tracy McKnight – Tall Girl

Best Song Written and/or Recorded for Television

“Something Stupid” from Better Call Saul *WINNER*

Songwriter(s): C. Carson Parks

Artist: Lola Marsh

Program: Better Call Saul

Episode: #407 “Something Stupid”

Music Supervisor: Thomas Golubić

“All These Things That I’ve Done” from A Million Little Things

Songwriters: Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci, Jr.

Artist: Gabriel Mann

Program: A Million Little Things

Episode: #101 “Pilot”

Music Supervisor: Kevin Edelman

“Invisible Ink” from This Is Us

Songwriter(s): Taylor Goldsmith, Siddhartha Khosla

Artist: Mandy Moore

Program: This Is Us

Episode: #307 “Sometimes”

Music Supervisor: Manish Raval and Tom Wolfe

“Jenny of Oldstones” from Game of Thrones

Songwriter(s): David Benioff, Ramin Djawadi, George R.R. Martin, D.B. Weiss

Artist: Florence + The Machine

Program: Game of Thrones

Episode: #802 “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”

Music Supervisor: Evyen J Klean

“On a Roll” from Black Mirror

Songwriter(s): Trent Reznor

Artist: Miley Cyrus

Program: Black Mirror

Episode: #503 “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too”

Music Supervisor: Amelia Hartley

Documentaries

Best Music Supervision for a Documentary

• Tracy McKnight – Halston *WINNER*
• Kevin Moyer – Boy Howdy: The Story Of CREEM Magazine
• Aminé Ramer – Love, Antosha
• G. Marq Roswell, Dondi Bastone – The Apollo
• Willa Yudell – Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1

Best Music Supervision in a Docuseries

• Rudy Chung, Jonathan Christiansen – Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men *WINNER*
• Marchese Taylor, Jake Weinreb, Jordan Passman – Free Meek
• Evyen Klean – Mike Judge Presents: Tales From The Tour Bus
• Evyen Klean – What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali

Trailers

Best Music Supervision in a Trailer

• Anny Colvin (Jax) – Joker Teaser *WINNER*
• Bobby Gumm (Trailer Park) – Wonder Woman 1984
• Toddrick Spalding (Mobscene) – The Goldfinch
• Danny Exum, Kelsey Mitchell (Workshop Creative) – Bombshell Trailer 1
• Will Quiney (GrandSon) – When They See Us

Advertising

Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Sync)

• David Taylor, Scott McDaniel, Jonathan Wellbelove – Apple iPhone “Color Flood” *WINNER*
• Josh Marcy – Apple iPhone “Don’t Mess with Mother”
• Doug Darnell – Lyft “Face Off”
• JT Griffith – Nike “Dominate All Dimensions”

Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Original Music)

• David Taylor, Scott McDaniel, Jonathan Wellbelove – Apple Watch “Hokey Pokey” *WINNER*
• Alec Stern – Miller Lite “Followers”
• Nellie Rajabi – Google Pixel “Kiss Detection”
• Eric Johnson, Dan Gross – Fuji Film “Don’t Just Take, Give”

Video Games

Best Music Supervision in a Video Game

• Cybele Pettus, Raphaella Lima – FIFA 20 *WINNER*
• Steve Schnur, Venus Bentley – Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
• Brandon Young, Eric Kalver – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
• Daniel Olsen – Sayonara Wild Hearts
• Alex Hackford, Peter Scaturro – Death Stranding

Paul Wiltshire, CEO and Founder, Songtradr

BIG SYNC MUSIC GLOBAL EXPANSION: Leading, Tech-Enabled Global Music Agency Expands Into Four New Markets Provides Industry-First, Data-Driven Music Solution for Brands.

The following special announcement comes from Songtradr, part of a broader partnership with DMN focused on the sync licensing space.  

SANTA MONICA Calif. and LONDON UK — Songtradr, Inc wholly-owned subsidiary, Big Sync Music, the world’s leading, full service, creative music licensing agency, has launched its tech-enabled music services to brands, and other content creators, from TV and OTT networks, to the film and video gaming industries across Australia, New Zealand, France and Germany. Big Sync, with Unilever as its anchor client, is the first global music agency to enter these markets. 

Headquartered in London, with a North/South America-focused team in Los Angeles and New York City and an APAC-focused team in Singapore, Big Sync is the largest global music buyer of its kind, sourcing music for household brands like Johnnie Walker, Samsung, Amazon, Dove, Knorr, Magnum and AXE. Songtradr, the largest music licensing platform in the world, acquired Big Sync Music in early 2019 enabling the company to provide a powerful, data powered music solution for brands and creative agencies worldwide. 

“Expanding into Australia, France and Germany will enable us to help brands, agencies and content creators meet their music needs from a cultural, creative and commercial perspective as well as opening up new opportunities for rights owners to reach new audiences.”

Big Sync’s new operations will be headed up by three recently appointed Country Managers; Michael Szumowski for Australia/New Zealand (Sydney); Pedro Anacker for Germany (Hamburg) and Nicolas Farcy for France (Paris).

Songtradr founder and CEO, Paul Wiltshire said: “As brands produce more, highly targeted, data-driven content to engage with consumers on multiple platforms, music is playing an increasingly important role. Expanding into Australia, France and Germany will enable us to help brands, agencies and content creators meet their music needs from a cultural, creative and commercial perspective as well as opening up new opportunities for rights owners to reach new audiences.”

For more information on Big Sync Music, please visit www.bigsync.com. Follow Big Sync on Twitter.  

For more information about Songtradr, please visit: www.songtradr.com. Follow Songtradr on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Big Sync Music

Big Sync Music is the world’s leading full service, creative music supervision agency working with brands and advertising agencies. With operations in London, New York, Los Angeles, Stockholm, Singapore, Sydney, Paris and Hamburg, the company has worked on thousands of projects for clients such as critically acclaimed and award-winning global campaigns from Magnum, Samsung, AXE, Dove, Ponds, Lipton, Marmite and Knorr.

 About Songtradr

Songtradr is the largest music licensing marketplace in the world, with over 500,000 artists and catalogs from 190+ countries leveraging machine learning and deep data to power music discovery. Songtradr connects artists to film, TV, brands and other media in a worldwide marketplace for music licensing. Music creators monetize their music through licensing to all forms of media, including distribution to all major streaming platforms. Using Songtradr’s proprietary technologies, music supervisors, brands, filmmakers and other creatives, can easily license music from a vast community of artists, bands, record labels and publishers.